Ichi-go Ichi-e
by NovemberDoll
Summary: She seemed to be transitory, and dare he say, weird. Her unusual attachment to him was to the point that it was a nuisance. But was it really? Her hands were growing bruised from hanging on too tight. And he had never expected, was not prepared at all, for the moment she would let go. (AU)
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N:_** Arrrgh! Another angst. :( They have a past encounter and he does not remember. it will be no secret because it will be mentioned even in the first chapter. And unlike the first angsty work, which I realized has probably less than 10 chapters left, I have not yet decided the end. I am honestly so torn on how to end this! I hope you will help me out.

This will only be a very short intro chapter, just to give you a peek. And then (promise) I'll concentrate on finishing _There's Something_. Longer chapters ahead.

 ** _Ichigo Ichie-_** _The term is often translated as "for this time only," "never again," or "one chance in a lifetime." It is a Japanese four-character idiom that describes a cultural concept of treasuring meetings with people. "Treasure each encounter, for it will never recur."_

* * *

 ** _Pitter-Patter_**

* * *

She stared at the large clock in the middle of the quaint little town square.

Her grip on the handle tightened, as the downpour pounded on her umbrella. She held her small gym bag closer to her person, keeping it safe and dry from the intruding rain.

Five o'clock.

He was supposed to meet her at two.

The people passing by held ridiculing glances, silent smirks, it seemed, to her stupidity.

Still she stood there, waiting for him, always for him…

 _A memory of her as a little girl flashed in her mind,_

 _Alone in the middle of a hospital room, with a large canvas and palette._

 _These unknown people in white gowns,_

 _With pity hidden in their smiles, they wanted to know, underneath that broken marionette,_

 _If there was a soul that still lived inside._

 _But she did not live, she merely existed._

 _Everything felt so cold… and the very air around her was suffocating…_

 _What had happened?_

 _Ever since the night of August 1st, her mind could not process,_

 _She refused to feel…_

 _Everything in her decided to just… stop._

She held her hand out to the little drops of rain. Pitter-patter, on her hand, slowly running down her arm…

 _Everything… felt so cold…_

 _Until he reached out, and he held her hand._

She felt someone stop in front of her, and she tilted her umbrella for her to see.

"Have you been waiting long?" He said. He was drenched in the rain, out of breath from his apparent haste to get to her. She smiled as she stepped forward and sheltered him from the downpour, protectively from the world, just as she always did.

"No, not long at all." She reached out to the tall figure before her, to tuck a wet strand of white hair that was sticking to his face. "I told you to bring an umbrella… Now you look like a wet dog." She laughed softly, and then, almost quietly, "You never listen to me, Sesshomaru."

"I forgot," he answered, "Kagome, I am… going to ask her to be my girlfriend today.

So I had to hurry."

Her hand quickly withdrew. "Oh," her smile faltered. She struggled to keep it in her face, not wanting him to see. "So she is with you?"

"Yes," he said as he turned and pointed to a cafe in the far corner of the square. "We were having some pastries when the downpour started. And now we're stuck," he brought his golden gaze back to her. "I remembered, I was supposed to meet you at two. And so I rushed here, knowing that you would still be waiting for me, thinking that you, for sure, have brought an umbrella,"

"I see," she nodded. Her vision blurred, and the world around her teetered.

"You don't want her to get wet, when you walk her back to your car."

There was a long silence between them, until the woman with blue eyes shifted. She handed to him her precious bag,

"What's this?" Sesshomaru asked, and she looked up at him and smiled.

"Dry clothes for you, I knew this would happen." And as he took the bag, she handed him the umbrella. "You never listen to me, Sesshomaru." She repeated, a pained smile on her face.

And she stepped back, into the downpour, drenching herself under the rain.

"Kagome," he stepped forward, but she shook her head.

"Take it and go… you wouldn't want her waiting too long, will you?" She tried to calm her heart, for it was beating as fast as the fleeting moment between them. And she had to step into the downpour, because she did not want him to see the tears that were spilling from her eyes.

Now under the torrent, she allowed it to freely fall like the rain… pitter-patter on her face…

"Don't mind me. I'm going home anyway…

You, on the other hand, have a long day with your beautiful Rin," she reached forward, and pushed him playfully, "Go."

He smiled,

and her heart shattered into a million pieces.

"I'll call you later," he said as he turned around, and he paused. "You were going to tell me something, that was why you wanted to meet. What is it, Kagome?" He did not even bother to turn around. He knew she was still there, she was always there, and will always be there, whenever he needed her.

"Sesshomaru…" she said, ever so softly… "I give up."

His golden eyes flew open. He spun around to see, her drenched form was pathetic under the torrential downpour, and her blue eyes shone a sadness that she had never shown before. With a heartbroken smile, she bowed down before him.

"Thank you… for giving me the chance to know you again."

 _"_ _I'm going home anyway,"_ her unfamiliar words replayed in his head. His eyes darted to the keychain hanging on the bag. It held two different keys: her copy to his apartment suite, and to her own apartment on the floor below.

His limbs reflexively snapped towards the drenched woman, the umbrella and the bag crashing on the wet brick as it fell on his feet. But a throng of tourists passed between them.

And when they dispersed, he realized something he had never imagined would happen:

she was gone.

She had left him, and he found himself alone in the middle of the square,

With the soft fall of the rain…

pitter-patter down his head.

* * *

Kagome shivered as a cold wind blew, and she held her drenched sweater tight. The sun was setting and the rain was slowly receding, and she cast her gaze to the vast, golden sky before her.

"Are you ready, little mistress?" A familiar voice said. The wrinkled hands of her old guardian wrapped her wet form with a warm blanket.

Kagome wiped the tears at the corners of her eyes.

 _No more hiding myself just to be accepted by another,_

 _S_ he pulled her phone out, displaying a torrent of unread messages and unanswered calls… all from one person. And her phone lit up, Sesshomaru's name appearing again on her screen.

He was trying to reach her.

 _No more blaming myself for things I can't control._

She turned her phone off and dumped it in the nearby garbage. Kagome took a deep breath, and smiled.

"Yes. Thank you…

for being so patient with stupid little me."

She stood, and they headed to the private plane waiting for her in the runway. And she boarded, never really looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N:_** Don't worry, I haven't given up on _There's Something_ yet! Im taking a quick rest on it, though. But I'll update within this month. Anyway, here's this to keep you company for now.

 _Italicized_ are flashbacks :)

* * *

 ** _Interlude_**

* * *

 _"_ _Ah, It's him! Kaede-san, it's really him," Her blue eyes widened in innocent adoration, as she gathered her seven-layer kimono and ran towards the massive flat screen before her. She splayed her palms on the moving images. "He just passed the board… He's a doctor! Ehhh," A pout formed on her lips as she pulled away and crossed her arms. "I can't believe it! He shouldn't have grown to be that handsome… Kaede-san, why is he so handsome?! Don't tell me I'll have to fight off an army of desperate admirers,"_

 _The golden-eyed man being interviewed in the TV smirked, and a blush spread on her cheeks as she fell into a quiet spell. "He smiles just the same as he did, though. Do you think he's still the same as before?" She turned to her old guardian who was seated across the large, opulent room, and waited._

 _The old woman chuckled as her eyes drifted from the calligraphy canvas before her, to the man in the flat screen. Below him was the caption, *Dr. Sesshomaru Taisho, heir to Taisho Health Systems*_

 _"_ _Child, are you sure of your decision? New York is a very different place from Japan. The culture-"_

 _The young lady frowned. "Kaede-san," she huffed in annoyance, "I'm seventeen now. And haven't we been talking about this for a year? I'm going to New York." She brought her gaze back to the TV and cheerily smiled. "I'm sure he'll find me charming. If Sesshomaru-kun hasn't changed, we'll be good friends…" her blue eyes filled with hope, "he'll remember that short time we spent together, and then I can tell him who I really am, and he'll accept me…_

 _Even with my surname attached,"_

 _Kaede shook her head. "Little Mistress, I'm just saying… Its been ten years since you last met. You've only known him as a boy." she sighed, "You have grown up to be… an amazing woman, and I'm not bluffing, but a lot of people revere you. I just hate to see you hide that wonderful woman just for the sake of one person…_

 _And child, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your name."_

 _Kagome remained quiet, as she stared at the image of the man before her, who politely bowed as the interview came to an end."I wouldn't mind hiding myself," she finally said, and she remembered,_

 ** _Memories of a boy, wiping away the tears of a little girl that was huddled to herself, crying in the corner of a hospital room,_**

 _"_ _Kaede-san," she smiled genuinely, "It was his warmth that brought me out of the paralyzing cold. I would be… happy, to give back that warmth to him." She giggled, as her hands lovingly ran against the screen. "Sesshomaru, I finally get to meet you again."_

* * *

 **-Present Time-**

**"I'll be taking a personal leave,"

The familiar man with golden eyes and platinum-white hair said, as cameras flashed on the screen. "Indefinitely. My father will take over as the temporary director, until I am ready again."

"Is it true what the tabloids say?" The journalist pressed on, "That this is because of a woman?"

A long silence.

"Yes."**

The young woman with blue eyes lifted the remote with her dainty hand, and she turned off the TV before her. The 70-inch screen sat blank and dead, and she brought her attention back to the half-finished _Ikebana_ on her hands.

She hummed with a content smile on her face, listening to the distant wind chimes from an unknown corner of the large traditional manor.

"I thought you'd be lolling your tongue at the screen, the moment you see him on TV as you always do," her old guardian said, leaning by the painted shoji door. She chuckled, and the mistress of the house paused, as she halfway turned to her with a soft smile on her face.

"You tease me so, Kaede-san." Her mistress answered. "You're supposed to comfort your heartbroken little ward." The young woman continued to hum as she leaned to the bouquet of flowers on her right, carefully picking out the best hue of red that would match her theme. She gasped in delight, when her eyes settled on a little fire lily at the bottom of the bundle.

"Do you know that he is looking for you, Kagome?" Kaede started towards her mistress, "Such a fairytale story social media has weaved: the most sought out heir, distraught and sweeping the corners of the land to find this mystery woman."

"How sad," Kagome merely sighed, as she clipped a stubborn stem that was sticking out of proportion. "They shouldn't have their hopes up too high. True versions of the fairytales… they don't get a happy ending."

Kaede knelt in front of her. "Child,"

Blue eyes met her tired old ones. "Don't worry. He won't find me anytime soon. He never really paid attention to what I said, he never took the effort to know me. By the rate that he was taking me for granted, I believe… he'll never find me at all."

Kaede sat still for long moments. Until,

"Do you miss him?"

Kagome brought her gaze back to the flowers before her. "I would be lying if I said I didn't." She reached out for a white lily, the only one in her red themed arrangement, and pulled it out.

"But just because you miss someone, doesn't mean you need them back in your life."

Kagome settled the white lily aside, and reached out for a striking blue orchid. She placed it in the topmost of the arrangement, and beamed. She tilted her head. "What do you think?"

"As perfect as always," Kaede acknowledged. "I'm sure the charity ball tonight will appreciate such artwork."

Kagome laughed lightly. She tilted her head towards the large doorway that led to the garden, "Ah, I can hear the songbirds outside. And look, the trees have changed color. Have you realized, Kaede-san, it's already autumn?"

Her old guardian nodded gently. Kagome's eyes shifted to the soft rain of brown leaves in the carefully-manicured garden. She smiled, free of any worries, relieved of any heartbreak.

"How beautiful."

* * *

His gaze settled on the open gym bag before him. It remained untouched, in the corner for days. Scattered inside were two pairs of clothes and essentials, both for him and her. There was a round trip ticket for two sticking out of the pocket. Sesshomaru remained motionless,

"We were supposed to fly to Yukon for the weekend," Sesshomaru started, his golden stare reflected the rays of the sun striking his glass of brandy. "And watch the Northern Lights.

I couldn't stress… how she said, again and again… how this trip was important to her."

 ** _"_** ** _What's this?" Sesshomaru asked, and she looked up at him and smiled._**

 ** _"_** ** _Dry clothes for you, I knew this would happen." And as he took the bag, she handed him the umbrella. "You never listen to me, Sesshomaru." She repeated, a pained smile on her face._**

"She planned it for months. And I simply forgot."

 ** _And she stepped back, into the downpour, drenching herself under the rain._**

Sesshomaru sank into the table, bunching his hair in his hands, hiding his face and his tears that so freely flowed. "Inuyasha," He cursed through clenched teeth, "I'm such a fucking idiot…"

His companion sat quietly across him, and he leaned closer and gently grabbed the glass of liquor from his brother. "She would have freaked out again if she'd seen you like this." Equally golden eyes narrowed,"Onii-san, Kagome never liked you drinking."

Sesshomaru cringed.

 ** _The vivid memory of her, crying and in panic as he puked his guts out in front of her. Still her gentle hands reached out to comfort him, as he drunkenly called out another woman's name,_**

"Onii-san," Inuyasha could only offer his presence, "For having given so many memories, she must have left some clues that you can hold on to," He braced his hands on his brother's shoulders, trying to establish eye contact. "We know that Kagome was using another name. But surely, she wouldn't have lied. She might have disclosed, but never lied. She loved you with every fiber of her being, I could tell, the first time I met her.

There's a reason why she's hiding her real identity, and she clearly did it to be closer to you. Is there a possibility… that you've met her before and you just don't remember?"

Sesshomaru lifted his gaze to his brother. "She did something unusual… when I first met her at the fairgrounds,"

"Then let's start there," Inuyasha's firm grip reassured, "Let's start to when you first met her. Onii-san…"

Sesshomaru brought his gaze outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, to the trees on Central Park fifty floors below. A few of the leaves were dying, falling off the ground.

"I'll find her. Before Autumn ends, I will find her.

And when I do… this time, I'm not going to fuck things up."

 ** _The dried leaves were raining on them that afternoon, and they were covered in horse manure, he was laughing like he never laughed for a very long time._**

 ** _He had only met her that day. And how they ended up diving into a pile of horse-shit to save a four-foot long cake was beyond his comprehension. But the children invited to the event had a wonderful time, that was all that mattered. He leaned from where he was squatting and smeared some icing on her face, and her blue eyes danced as she smiled._**

 ** _She suddenly tackled him on the grass, engulfing him in her arms. And she reached out, the girl he had just met, and she pressed her lips on his forehead._**

 ** _She leaned her forehead against his. "I'm so happy. Thank you…_**

 ** _for giving me the chance to know you again, Sesshomaru,"_**

 ** _He laid there stunned and confused, and he could feel…_**

 ** _her warm tears, softly falling on his face_** _._

He remembered,

Autumn was the season when she first stepped into his life.


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N:_** _Je suis profondement desole_ \- I'm deeply sorry

 _Tiens-moi au courant_ \- keep me informed

 _Italicized_ Bold are flashbacks

* * *

 ** _Regret, Indifference_**

* * *

 _-New York, Present Day-_

"She was… weird, the way she seemed to be so eccentric. After the hospital's charity event at the park, I never expected to see her again.

A nobody.

It was to my surprise that she came knocking on my door the next day."

 ** _"Good Morning!" She greeted, and he stood by his doorway, stunned. Sesshomaru stared at the blue-eyed teenager who came knocking at his penthouse so early in the morning. She was clad in an oversized sweater and bunny slippers, and her hair was a messy bun._**

 _ **"Eh… did you just wake up?" She asked, a blush spreading on her cheeks. "Ah, Je suis profondement desole…" she bowed down, averting her eyes from his shirtless form.**_

 _ **he blinked in confusion.**_

 _ **"I just came up to introduce myself. My name is Kagome, your new neighbor."**_

Inuyasha raised a brow. "French?"

"Fluent French. It sounded so beautiful… at the same time, so unusual with her Asian features. And the gesture was very Japanese," Sesshomaru chuckled.

"But she has the bluest eyes," Inuyasha said. "Onii-san. Were you even aware of that?"

"Of course. But I never really… thought about it. Not until she left."

 _ **"I'll just come back at another time then," her shoulders slumped, and she turned around when,**_

 _ **"Wait," Sesshomaru called out, and she spun around, her eyes wide with excitement. She looked like a little puppy so very eager for his attention. "Aren't you the delivery girl from yesterday?"**_

 _ **In mere seconds she strode towards him, her hands clasped innocently together in a very childish manner, and she nodded her head almost too enthusiastically. "Yes, I am! Ah, I'm so happy, you remember a mere delivery girl!"**_

 _ **Sesshomaru stepped back, weirded out.**_

 _ **"** **I work at the flower shop across the street," She said cheerfully, "This building is the closest I can get… I wanted the penthouse beside yours, but it was already reserved. So I settled with the suite downstairs,"**_

"She works at a flower shop," Inuyasha stopped their walk, feeling the warmth of the coffee cup in his hands. A chilly autumn wind blew, and he huddled his coat around his body, "But the penthouse in your building… roughly costs what, 37 million?

Onii-san, did it ever occur to you that the suites below yours cost 21 million? If she were a mere delivery girl…"

"It never came to me at that moment." He admitted, as they finally halted to a stop. They raised their gazes up as they stopped at their destination. "I never had... any real interest with her at that time. She was just this... girl."

Sesshomaru stepped in, familiar bells chiming when he opened the door. He held his breath when his eyes settled on the counter.

 ** _"_ _Sesshomaru!" She greeted, running up to him, her eyes absolutely wide with surprise and happiness. The girl reached out and took his hands, leading him into the shop._**

 ** _The doctor raised a brow, at unease by her unusual familiarity._**

 ** _"_ _Good that you found the shop…" she gushed, "what brings you here? Are you going to ask me out for coffee? My break doesn't come until an hour… but maybe I can talk the owner out of giving me an early one-"_**

 ** _"_ _I'm sorry," Sesshomaru bowed politely, "But… who are you?"_**

 ** _She drew back, the girl with blue eyes, and stared at him dumbstruck. Sesshomaru shook his head as he proceeded himself to the counter. "I apologize," he casually said, "But I'm in such a hurry… I need a bouquet for a girl,"_**

 ** _"_ _Oh," Her blue eyes dimmed considerably, "stupid me," she murmured, as she walked behind the counter, an obviously forced smile on her face. "What kind of bouquet?" She asked, and his eyes scanned the flower shop._**

 ** _"_ _The best one you have," He answered._**

 ** _"_ _That's too vague," She cleared her throat, realizing how bitter she sounded. She averted her eyes as she preoccupied herself with the clutter on the counter. "Does she have any preferences?" She asked almost halfheartedly, that it made him do a double-take._**

 ** _"_ _I wouldn't know. She's only a week old."_**

 ** _The girl blinked, and he saw her blue eyes bloom to life. "Oh!" She exclaimed, as her eyes met his. "A little girl?"_**

 ** _Sesshomaru smiled, as he raked his hands through his platinum white hair nervously. "A special little girl. My first niece… from my younger brother and his wife." He paused, "She's in the NICU right now… she was born prematurely."_**

 ** _Sesshomaru blinked, when the girl braced her hands on his arms again, holding him as if they had been friends for a very long time. "Give me a minute, let me make something for that angel," she scurried off the counter, bringing some special paper with her, and he watched in curiosity as she busied herself, picking a range of different blooms from the greenhouse-like flower shop. She suddenly appeared before him, and she held out a curiously beautiful bouquet of White and Purple Violets, Yellow Tulips, pink Calla Lilies, and Marjoram._**

 ** _He stared at the bouquet, quite stunned at the unlikely combination, and the equally remarkable arrangement that was done in mere minutes._**

 ** _"_ _How much?" He managed,_**

 ** _"_ _If you treat me for coffee in my lunch break I'd make it free," she wagged her brows playfully, and he laughed._**

 ** _She smiled, seeing him happy._**

 ** _"_ _Again, I'm in a hurry," he shook his head and forked out a hundred-dollar bill. "This should suffice," he smiled, placing the bill on the counter, tucking the bouquet in his arms. "Thank you."_**

 ** _He bowed, swiftly turned around and walked away. But when he opened the door,_**

 ** _"_ _Wait! S-Sesshomaru," she called out to him, and he had to turn._**

 ** _The tone of her voice was different… if he had known her… would he dare say… desperate?_**

 ** _She was standing behind the counter, her blue eyes wide with such heartbreaking hope, and her hands clutched the counter with nervous tension it was indeed unusual._**

 ** _"_ _Are you…" She started, very quietly, "Are you sure you don't remember me?"_**

 ** _She was holding her breath, a storm of emotions passing through her expressive blue eyes. Sesshomaru had to step back, the onslaught of her emotions and the silence between them making it awkward for him._**

 ** _He looked at her, and a smidge of recognition sparked in his eyes._**

 ** _She caught her breath, and her lips parted in anticipation. She was waiting, expecting for something. For what, he did not know. And he felt uncomfortable, immensely pressured. He did not like the feeling at all._**

 ** _"_ _I actually do remember," he finally said, and her face bloomed into the most lovely expression of happiness. "You were that delivery girl from the other day… and my new neighbor." He expected her to laugh, but her blooming smile faltered, and her lips trembled as she bit the corners._**

 ** _She let out a deep breath, and looked down and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand._**

 ** _Was she crying?_**

 ** _Her shoulders shook, and she did indeed laugh, nervously albeit. "I'm sorry," she looked back at him, her tears spilling in great amounts on her cheeks as she desperately tried to wipe them away, "something in my eyes," she breathed deeply._**

 ** _And he stared at her for quite a while. He would have strode back in and asked her if everything was alright. He would have offered her his handkerchief, to wipe the tears that were still flowing from her eyes._**

 ** _But his phone suddenly vibrated, His brother was asking him where he was._**

 ** _"_ _Gomen, I have to go." He bowed ever so politely and left the strange girl crying behind the counter, alone to herself in the bright and beautiful flower shop._**

* * *

 _**"**_ ** _Sango…_**

 ** _I almost slipped."_**

 ** _The girl whispered, in the middle of the large room furnished with only a mattress on the floor and a large flat-screen TV. The view of the night lights of the city was bright and alive from the floor-to-ceiling window, but her gaze was cast down as she tried to hold back her sobs._**

 ** _"_ _Kagome," the voice from the other line said, "I told you, for how many times… this is a bad idea," the restraint and frustration on her cousin's voice rang loud and clear, "I heard so many stories… Red Flags. The passage of time changes a person. He might not be the boy you knew, ten years ago…"_**

 ** _The girl shook her head, "I know he's there… deep inside he's there. I want to believe in him, Sango, because that's what he did. He never gave up on me. So why should I give up on him?"_**

 ** _Her cousin sighed deeply. "You said you almost slipped."_**

 ** _"_ _I asked him if he remembered me."_**

 ** _A long silence passed between them._**

 ** _"_ _Kagome," Sango finally answered, "Did he?"_**

 ** _The girl embraced herself, the cold of the large, hollow room chilling her skin to the bone. "No."_**

 ** _She sniffled, and the ever-patient cousin waited in silence as she allowed her tears to fall. "Then it's a good thing. If he does, he might make the connection between you and-"_**

 ** _"_ _I know," Kagome breathed, as she released the heavy tension from her shoulders. "I know. But it hurts, though, knowing he does not remember…_**

 ** _When I, in turn, think about it… every single moment."_**

 ** _"_ _Kagome," Sango's voice shook, "My sweet, innocent Kagome," and another long pause between them until it was apparent that the sniffling came from Sango's end of the line. "Look at what he's doing to you. You're not even friends yet… just come back. Drop the whole thing and come back. I beg you,"_**

 ** _"_ _Sango," Kagome answered softly, "I… can't."_**

 ** _"_ _Kagome. I've watched him on TV. He's vindictive, grudge-bearing… and he acts as if they are the ones who need pardon!" She listened, until her cousin's soft sobbing filled her ears, crushing her heart, "Stupid little girl," Sango murmured in between soft sobs, "Wait till I get there. I'll knock some sense into that impossibly hard head of yours,"_**

 ** _And she hung up._**

 ** _The blue-eyed girl lifted her gaze to the flashing images on the TV. It was a replay of a late-night interview, and her weary eyes, red and raw from crying, skimmed the familiar image of a white-haired male with golden eyes._**

 ** _**"And there is one rumor… I don't know how true this is, about the DuPonts? I heard the elusive heir has been extending requests for reconciliation," The interviewer said._**

 ** _The newly-recognized director of the Hospital Network leaned on his chair and chuckled. "Why only now, when our name is back in Forbes' wealthiest?" Sesshomaru answered, "They are opportunists._**

 ** _Even though my direct family had nothing to do with what happened between that… criminal… and the DuPonts, the scandal between them almost ruined the Taisho name to the ground. But we fought back and are stronger than ever. That French-Japanese family, they are bullies, relying on their name and their dangerous empire to crush other competitors out of their sight. And now they want a pretend reconciliation?_**

 ** _I would never want to be associated with any DuPont,_**

 ** _Never in this life,_**

 ** _Or in any that will follow."***_**

 ** _"_ _I'm sorry… Sesshomaru," Kagome cast her head down, "It's all my fault,"_**

 ** _* In her mind, the deafening blast of a gunshot rang through her ears.*_**

 ** _The memory was so vivid and real, she could almost taste the gunpowder, could almost feel the warmth of her blood as it spilled from her insides. Kagome reached out to her chest, slowly feeling the outline of a healed scar._**

 ** _*The gun that had put a hole to her chest was then aimed, point blank, right at her face.*_**

 ** _"_ _I'm sorry…" Kagome whispered, " If I didn't testify,_**

 _ **would you not have carried that grudge in your heart?"**_

* * *

 ** _Tokyo, Present Time_**

The woman straightened her coat, in hindsight that she will have yet another meeting to attend to after this little visit.

Having a full schedule for the month, she cursed at the timing of her cousin's arrival. But it had been four weeks, and she felt that phone calls were not enough. Even video chats felt too impersonal. And so she decided to skip her lunch hour, just to see her.

The non-meal was worth it. She strode into the suite, and she was met with a familiar sight. Behind the large mahogany desk was an elaborately-clothed doll, in her seven-layered kimono, and an idle, unfinished ikebana on her right. The doll's complete attention was on something else. She had open metal boxes sprawled on the massive table before her, and her blue eyes widened in surprise, realizing she had a visitor by the doorway.

Sango ditched the fact that she was still in five-inch heels as she broke into a run, meeting her heiress cousin's eager arms in a fond embrace.

"It's good to see you again," Sango expressed, squeezing her tight. "I thought you'd greet me with a zombie look in your eyes, just like you did every day in New York, " she pulled away, and beamed, "But I was mistaken. You are as beautiful as ever,"

Kagome smiled as she patted Sango's cheek. "Ah, I would gladly take a compliment from my cousin any time,"

Sango shook her head and chuckled. She recalled, in frustration, all the scathing insults she had hurled against the distraught girl when she was at the Big Apple. She smiled bitterly at the recall, "Sorry about everything I said," she paused, remembering the time she actually _slapped_ the girl, "And did." meekly searched her blue eyes, trying to find a trace of hurt.

And it was indeed, to her surprise, to see none.

But instead of the naive, sheltered little princess she had been used to seeing,

Her blue eyes…

It held an unfathomable depth of emotion that only true heartbreak could have rendered.

And Kagome braced her hands on Sango's arms, and her shoulders shook.

"K-Kagome," she reached out, ready to wipe the inevitable tears on her cousin's cheeks.

Instead, the young heiress' entire body shook, and she heard a restrained sound from the girl before her.

She was _laughing._

Kagome she sighed, wiping the tears of mirth that escaped her eyes. "You humor me," she gathered her poise, her back straightening in perpetual perfect posture only an heiress like her caliber could naturally attain, and she tilted her head in innocent curiosity, "It just makes me wonder now… where you learned such colorful words."

Sango's cheeks flushed red,

"It's alright," Kagome reassured. "I'll keep everything a secret. As long as you keep mum about everything you saw in New York," she wagged her brows, and Sango covered the gasp that escaped her lips.

"I don't think I can keep everything a secret," Sango giggled, "Especially of you wearing oversized sweaters and flip-flops… Kagome, your _couturier_ will sure have a field day if she hears about it-"

Kagome sighed, "Oh, the lengths I went through just to hide myself for him," she smiled. "Do you know that I even attempted at some cooking lessons?"

"Did you end up burning the whole place down?" Sango said in between laughs, trying to catch her breath.

Seeing that Sango had stopped fussing on her feelings, the kimono-clad woman walked back to her desk, and she ran her hands across the items that were laid in a velvet lining in the metal box. "Enough of that now," she frowned this time, "As much as you love to torture me, It's a memory I don't want to regurgitate, over and over again." she raised her gaze as her hands slipped under the item on one of the boxes,

"Let's just leave it as a lesson learned for foolish little me," her frown stuck, "For that time, he made me hate my own name. He made me hate myself."

Her blue eyes steeled as she weighed the heavy metal on her hand, and Sango couldn't help but smile. She recalled an image of a soulless child in the middle of a hospital room, surrounded by a team of white-gowned doctors and nurses, and that same girl, who grew into a naive, sheltered teenager, pathetically surrounded by bottles of alcohol and crying her heart out.

But now, the fire in her eyes was back, the one that was put out by that… man.

 _You've changed… but for the better. I admire your strength… for all you've been through,_

"Sango, I'm glad I got myself out of that miserable place."

"Do you hate him?"

The heiress tilted her head in innocent ponder. "Hate him? That's such a strong word."

She lifted the heavy item off the metal box, and traced her delicate fingers on the barrel, cradling the s _emi-automatic_ on her arms: the dangerous weapon a stark contrast to the delicate doll-image and her kimono-clad form.

"No. He doesn't deserve my hate.

He doesn't deserve anything from me."

She smiled so calmly, her hands steady as she positioned the pistol grip, and rested the bump stock on her shoulders. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Sango? QC has approved this prototype, but I wanted them to run this again under the Safety Board. I might organize another Board to screen our prospective buyers. I don't want this in the hands of the public. Weapons like these, you just have to be very wary."

Sango nodded. "I will let Miroku know of your wishes." She bowed.

"Tiens-moi au courant," Kagome waved, as she brought her attention back to the rifle on her hands.

"Of course," Sango took a step back, satisfied at the content state she was at. "I'll see more of you next month, I'm not gonna book myself too much."

"Sounds like a plan," Kagome turned to her and bowed politely.

"Kagome," Sango paused by the doorway, and the heiress looked up, a pleasant look on her face.

"Hmmm?"

"You're doing well," Sango commented.

"Good to hear," Kagome beamed. "I'm feeling well, too, now that it's all over."

Sango nodded and closed the door, deeply relieved. Just months ago was a broken woman on her feet, begging for a reprieve from all the hurt and heartbreak.

It was comforting to see her, her cousin; her boss: the secretive, prodigious Gun Heiress, still as gentle and kind as ever, smiling again in their midst.

She just secretly hoped that they will never have to cross paths with that golden-eyed man ever again.

* * *

 ** _-New York-_**

"How may I help you?" The owner approached, the brothers bowing politely in acknowledgment. He seemed to recognize one of them, for his expression brightened when he saw Inuyasha. "Officer Taisho! What brings you here? Off-duty today?"

"I'm here for a personal matter, actually," Inuyasha shook his hand. "I'm sure you recognize my brother here,"

"Of course," the owner nodded his head, reaching for several stems beside him, pulling out dead leaves from the stalks.

"I'd like to ask you a pretty big favor." Sesshomaru stepped forward, "I know you keep the information of every employee private, as should all employers do… but is there any way," he held his breath, "If it was possible… for you to provide us with any information about Kagome Higurashi?"

The shop owner halted his fiddling, and he looked into the man before him, hesitant and unsure.

But Sesshomaru looked back at him, his golden eyes full of hope, dark circles around his eyes from the obvious bouts of sleepless nights. And the owner regarded him with genuine concern.

"Son... You look exhausted."

Sesshomaru ran his hands nervously through his hair. "I can't… forget her. Everywhere I look, there is always something there that makes me remember,

And I stopped sleeping three weeks ago,

when she stopped saying goodnight."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Eidetic Memory- an ability to vividly recall images from memory with high precision after only a brief time of exposure

 ** _All italicized are flashbacks. I only made some bold in order for it to be distinguishable. Thanks._**

* * *

 ** _Baby Steps_**

* * *

 ** _-New York-_**

"Son, I want to help you." The owner heaved a sigh, "But I cannot violate her trust in me too. For the year that she worked for me, I thought of her as the daughter I never had."

Golden eyes deepened in hue, and the old man reached out to the tall, young doctor before him and patted his shoulder. "But maybe…" he sighed in resignation. "Maybe I can just… cheat. Her name really is…

Kagome Higurashi."

"I told you, Onii-san. She wouldn't lie about it," Inuyasha brightened considerably, as his eyes met the hopeful expression of his brother's.

The old man shook his head, "But it's only a part of her legal name." He withdrew his supportive hand from Sesshomaru, "She is a very interesting lady. Did you know that she loved tea, and despised coffee?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly, "She would eagerly down a cup, whenever we're together-"

The owner shook his head, laughing. "She does?" He looked at him. "She hated it." The owner said, " But I would catch her every morning, without fail, behind the counter with a grimace on her face." the owner chuckled, "She would buy a cup of coffee from the cafe everyday and force herself to drink it.

She said it was her _cherie_ 's favorite drink,

And she wanted to love the things he loved, too."

They stood in silence for long moments, until the owner finally shifted. "If you're able to find her, say Hi for me. Really good girl…" he paused, hesitating.

"She donated all of her paychecks to the L.K. DuPont foundation."

* * *

 ** _-Tokyo, Japan-_**

"What a surprise, my cousin visiting me two times a row? I must have done something to please the Kamis," Kagome stood as Sango approached.

Her cousin, clad in her usual business dress and five-inch heels leaned over the table to engulf the traditionally-clothed heiress in a fond hug. She rolled her eyes, "What are you saying? You deserve everything, _mon petit chou!_ Your mere breathing in this world delights them,"

Kagome grinned, "And your attempts at flattery sends them over the edge," she giggled as she resumed her seat. "That's what makes you so good at what you do," she gave her a sidelong glance, "Your silver tongue is way too valuable. If you were from another company, I'd never wish to cross paths with a lawyer such as you."

Sango walked behind the desk and settled beside the lady, peering at her computer. "University acceptance letters?"

"I was planning to pursue a formal degree," Kagome smiled up at her cousin, "You have your Law degree, Miroku-kun has his management… I'm this useless ditz who you call boss… add the fact that you hide me heavily from the public eye so well. Kouga-kun is doing such a fine job in keeping my life private, that the people who have never seen me personally, have no idea if I'm a man or a woman! Ah, _ma canard._..

I won't be surprised if the public sees me as some kind of terrifying Mafia boss or something,"

Sango threw her head back and laughed. "Well, looking what you inherited, you do fit the description… except that our business is actually _legal_ ," she reached out and messed up Kagome's eloquently pinned hair, "And you know why we protect you like a glass doll. Hey, you don't need a degree! Just look at those software dudes, they dropped out of college but they ran their mega-business just fine! I'm sure you'll get an honorary degree later,"

"Ah, Sango. Just because I don't need to doesn't mean I can be lazy." She drew a contemplative look on her face, "Even Sesshomaru Taisho has an M.D, at 22 years old!"

Sango could only sigh. "Do whatever you want," she smiled. "You're perfectly capable." Sango pondered on her pouting form. Her fragile cousin did not look like it, but much like the Taisho heir, her analytical skills were beyond normal. It was no surprise, since both her parents were prodigies themselves.

And this was definitely not a secret: the refined doll was a _virtuoso_.

She had an impossibly precise _Photographic_ and _Eidetic Memory_ which had always set her apart from the rest.

Unfortunately, that ability was already there when she was seven years old.

 _I couldn't imagine… how she could continue to smile…_

 _To live with such vivid recollection._

Sango couldn't help it. An image of her cousin as a child, seated on the hospital bed, with her soulless blue gaze stuck to the wall flashed in her mind.

 _"_ _She's not responding to any medications," The doctor said, and Tango's grip to her mother's hand tightened. "Mrs. Takeda, your niece has been in a state of depressive catatonia for weeks,"_

 _Her mother's hands shook, "Is that the reason why you called me here?" She whispered, unable to look at the girl on the bed._

 _"_ _There is another option that might help her, but we need your permission. You are Kagome's Power of Attorney," the doctor said._

 _"_ _What is it?" Her mother's voice trembled._

 _The doctor paused. "Electroconvulsive therapy."_

 _And it was when tears spilled out of her mother's eyes. "But she is only seven-" she released her hand from Sango and covered her mouth to stifle her sobs, "You can't do that to a child-" she strode towards the girl on the hospital bed, and stopped._

 _Kagome's little body only lurched forward, and the girl embraced her knees and regressed into fetal position. Tears fell from her empty blue eyes, her gaze abnormally fixated on the empty wall, "It's cold," she whispered,_

 _"_ _Why is it so cold… Souta-chan,_

 _close the window,"_

 _The doctor looked away. Sango's mother clenched her teeth as she watched her spiral into an internal abyss that only her beautiful blue eyes can see. "Do it," her legal guardian finally said, "Just give me the papers and do it,"_

 _The doctor bowed, "Let me get the consent, then." He quietly exited the room._

 _"_ _Kagome…" She sobbed, "Our sweet, innocent Kagome,"_

 _Sango inched towards the girl who was curled to herself, and reached out to touch her hand. Her cousin did not respond. She only continued whispering, over and over again…"It's so cold,"_

 _"_ _Mama, what will happen to Kagome-chan?" Sango frowned,_

 _"_ _Are they going to hurt her?"_

* * *

 ** _-New York-_**

"The DuPont foundation?" Sesshomaru raked his hands through his hair, "Of all the charities…"

"Onii-san, are you still so bitter about the DuPonts ruining our reputation, that you've forgotten the very root of the scandal?" Inuyasha cast his gaze down, "As ironic as it is, that L.K. DuPont couldn't have chosen more fitting recipients... considering what happened to the gun heir's family that night."

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"Children who are left orphaned and severely traumatized by civilian gun violence…" Inuyasha continued, "Kagome might have pitied such. Who knows, she might be a victim herself?

Come to think of it, she never did mention her parents, did she?"

Inuyasha stopped in front of the valet of the building. "I still have to do more digging in to do. For an eighteen year old, she sure has unusual financial stability. I'll see what I can find out." He smirked, as he playfully punched his brother's shoulder.

"Hey, you're working with New York's finest detective here… we're bound to find her. In the meantime," he looked at Sesshomaru, "Father wants to meet you at the hospital. He was saying he'd have your _primary_ prescribe you some sleeping pills for tonight…

Onnii-san. You look terrible. You have to take care of yourself,

How can you woo her back if you look like a walking corpse?"

* * *

 _"_ _Good Morning, Sesshomaru!" The girl with blue eyes greeted._

 _Sesshomaru blinked, quite stunned as he held the open door before him._

 _He was in the middle of brushing his teeth when a loud, frantic knocking invaded his groggy Monday-morning self. Alarmed, he ran out of the bathroom, even knocked his coffee off the counter in his haste to get to the door. And when he opened it he expected to find a distressed person with a possible medical emergency from somewhere in the building._

 _Not this… smiling, overly bright girl that was shoving a curious paper bag right at his face._

 _He took the toothbrush out of his mouth and grabbed her wrist, pulling her inside._

 _"_ _Eh?" She uttered as he dragged her in, shutting the door behind them. He dumped her at the leather couch, as he rushed to the kitchen at the other end of the large penthouse and rinsed his mouth from the foam._

 _For almost two weeks now, this… girl would knock on his door and greet him good morning, and he would say likewise and close the door, or nod in acknowledgment and rush outside to start his day._

 _He spit the toothpaste out, and he turned to her. She was looking around like a child in a candy store, with the most awestruck expression in her eyes. "Ah… your penthouse looks so…"_

 _"_ _Modern?" He suggested._

 _"_ _Sterile." She finished._

 _His brow raised involuntarily._

 _Before he could correct it, she turned to him, and she blushed._

 _"_ _I apologize," she gushed, bowing down frantically, "I didn't mean to insult your tastes! It's just that… it just seems so… cold- but you have your own preference! I'm not trying to-"_

 _"_ _I'm in a hurry," he said as he finally caught himself, "Did you need something, Kaname?"_

 _Her smile fell off her face. "It's Kagome," she pouted, "Kaaa- GO- meh…" she paused when she heard a restrained sound come out of the white-haired man before her._

 _The prettiest blush spread on her cheeks: he was laughing._

 _"_ _I know, I'm just teasing you." He gave her a lopsided grin, and her face bloomed into an expression of genuine happiness. "You must be new here to New York." He said._

 _She nodded her head all too eagerly. "Yes, yes I am… Ah, how amazing! How did you know?"_

 _He stared at her for a while, studying the very young, and very naive girl in front of him, and chuckled. His smirk drew another heavier blush on the poor girl, and he paused._

 _This time, she was looking at him with absolute adoration._

 _He shrugged and brushed past her, disappearing into his room. "What brings you here to the city?" He asked, reappearing outside, his hands adjusting his necktie. He then proceeded to button his wrist sleeves, "Where are your parents?"_

 _"_ _My parents?" She echoed, and he had to pause what he was doing to look at her. A deeper emotion flashed in her eyes. "I… that's hard for me to-"_

 _He shook his head, "It's alright," he assured, slinging a large, heavy backpack on his shoulder. It was none of his business anyway. This… teenager, most likely came from a rural area, from Japan, obviously, judging by her name, to try and fulfill her dream of a better life such as any teen her age would do. "Again, I'm in a hurry. Is there anything you needed?"_

 _Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. "No, I just wanted to say Good Morning… and give you this," she shoved the curious paper bag in his face again,_

 _"_ _What-"_

 _"_ _Breakfast, I bought it from the cafe. I just noticed… you are always in a hurry, so maybe you don't-"_

 _He shook his head, "Thank you, but I have no time,"_

 _she did not give him a chance to explain. She rushed behind him and opened his bag. He couldn't just push her away, so he just stood there, stunned at her persistence. She crammed the paper bag inside and patted it with finality._

 _"_ _Just bring it with you," she grinned in victory when he sighed in resignation._

 _He looked at his clock on the wall._

 _"_ _I really have to go." He said as he strode to the door,"I don't have anything going on tomorrow morning. So maybe I can get you acquainted around the area," he said in a hurry,_

 _"_ _Ah, you'll do that?" She leaned forward, a look of childish wonder on her face. "I don't want to be a hassle-"_

 _"_ _I don't mind," he grinned, "I remember my first year when I was in med school." He then paused when he reached the doorway, and he turned to her. "Oh, and can you do something for me when I leave?"_

 _Kagome almost tiptoed in eagerness at his pending request._

 _"_ _Be sure to have a good day, Kagome." he smiled as he bowed his head, ever so politely, and he disappeared into the corner._

 _The poor girl was left to herself in the middle of the large suite, blushing profusely, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I told you, Sango…" she whispered to herself,_

 _"_ _He is still as kind and gentle as I remember…"_

 ** _And a memory replayed, so vivid in her mind: of a golden-eyed, twelve-year old boy, nudging the food on her plate. "You have to eat to get your strength back," he said, sitting quietly beside an empty- gazed seven year old with heavy bandages around her chest,_**

 ** _"_** ** _When you are strong enough, we'll take that trip we planned. We'll run away for a while," He reached over and tucked a strand of messy hair behind her ears. "I'll take you to my family's rest house in Yukon, we'll stay up late and sit by the lake under a million stars,_**

 ** _and I'll show you the Aurora Borealis that I've been telling you about,"_**

 ** _He quietly waited, until a flash of emotion finally sparked in her eyes._**

 ** _The boy smiled._**

 ** _"_** ** _Kagome, we'll watch the Northern Lights together."_**

* * *

Kagome laid on her futon, staring at the sakura-painted screen for the longest time. Not a soul was stirring in the traditional mansion, and she tried to concentrate on the dip of the Shishi-odoshi from her private garden, the distant ring of the giant wind chimes from somewhere in the manor.

She tried to reposition.

 ** _But images of his smiling face would flash in her mind._**

She laid flat on her back and stared at the ceiling, counting the beams overhead.

 ** _A sunny day in the little town square, they sat closely beside each other, careful with their movements as to not pull away the one earphone and iPod they were sharing. As she listened to the music that blared through the small speakers, he suddenly lurched down and took a bite of her vanilla ice cream. Pouting, she leaned over herself and took a bite of his._**

 ** _Her face melted into a grimace._**

 ** _Blue Cheese._**

 ** _He burst into laughter, and she frowned, forcing herself to swallow._**

 ** _And he lurched down again, but this time, to plant a soft kiss on her unprepared lips._**

Kagome took her phone from beside her and opened the _compose e-mail._ With trembling hands, she typed the first part of her message,

 _-I hope you're doing okay, Sess-_

She stopped halfway.

 ** _She waited for him… for two hours outside the movie theater for the last full show. Amidst the biting cold and falling snow, she checked her phone._**

 ** _Not even a message._**

Her fingers stayed frozen in place.

 ** _'_** ** _Give me time to figure things out between us._**

 ** _Please, Kagome. Be patient with me… '_**

 ** _His plea ran through her head, as Kagome stood outside the cafe, watching the happy couple sharing a meal. And the man with golden eyes, the one she loved since she was a little child, leaned down to whisper something to the woman._**

 ** _And he inched closer to her lips and kissed her._**

 ** _Kagome cried, shamelessly in the middle of the passing crowd, watching the whole thing happen before her very eyes._**

 ** _"_** ** _I need you beside me, Kagome," She remembered him say, just the night before… when she laid beside him. "Don't let go until I tell you to."_**

Her grip on the phone tightened.

 ** _Alone in his penthouse, waiting for him in the middle of the night._**

 ** _Eighteen balloons and a cake before her, the candles already melted out._**

 ** _"_** ** _Happy Birthday, Kagome," she whispered to herself in her solitude._**

She pressed the back button, deleting everything before her.

And she placed the phone aside and reached for her Macbook. She opened it, and out popped a flight confirmation page.

It displayed a trip confirmed to Yukon, and Kagome blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

 ** _He did not come home. She opened the door to her empty apartment, her eyes burning from all the crying until five in the morning. And suddenly, all the lights turned on._**

 ** _"_ _Surprise!"_**

 ** _They were all there, under the confetti and cheap silly string- her family and best friends, who flew all the way, thousands of miles to greet her a happy birthday._**

 ** _And she covered her mouth, unable to control the sobs that escaped her._**

She opened the itinerary: the tickets were for 6 people,

on the coming November 15th before autumn ends.

She minimized the page, and on her laptop was her screensaver: Kaede on the side, Miroku and Kouga doing a duck face, and her in the middle, with Ayame and Sango doing devil ears behind her head. There was a half-eaten cake in front of her and a "Happy 18th, you stubborn girl!" banner behind them.

Written in neon pink on the side of the edited digital image, "Always here for you, XOXO"

She took a deep breath: her looming tears did not fall.

She couldn't help but smile.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_

 _Je ne te connais pas assez,_ _et honnêtement, tu ne me connais pas réellement non plus-_ I don't know you well enough, and honestly, you don't really know me either

 _Petite fille_ \- little girl

Italicized blocks are, yet again, flashbacks.

For those who hate _slow burns_ , then this story might be frustrating for you. =P

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5**_

* * *

 _A soft knock on the door and the young doctor roused from his sleep. For it was so early in the morning he did not bother to hurry, he knew who the person on the other side was._

" _Sesshomaru-kun," she said with a lyrical lilt to her voice. Sesshomaru covered a pillow over his head, trying to shut her out. But the knocking didn't stop._

 _He dragged himself out of his bed, out of his room, and into the living room._

 _He opened the door._

 _As expected, the girl with blue eyes greeted him with the brightest smile. With yet another large paper bag on her hand, she opened her arms wide and invited him into a warm hug. He did not move. She engulfed him in her fond embrace anyway. "Bonjour," she said with her impeccable French accent._

 _Sesshomaru looked down at her with bleary eyes. "If you weren't this adorable, I would have reported you to the police for stalking."_

 _She pulled away pouting. "You promised me a date today."_

" _Did I?" He raised a brow, amused by her childish antics. He turned to walk back in, the girl following closely behind. He slumped on his couch as he silently watched her rummage through the contents of her package._

 _It had been a month, and every day without fail she would bring him breakfast from the nearby café, and every five days during his days off, she would wiggle herself in his hectic schedule and make sure he would spend a few hours exclusively to her._

 _Sesshomaru chuckled at the thought: the teenager's infatuation towards him was quite amusing. He couldn't help but play along._

" _What's that?" he said as she brought out a bunch of white flowers and grabbed the tall vase. The girl proceeded to his kitchen sink and filled the vase with water. She stuck the flowers in and started a simple arrangement._

" _Gardenias," she said with a smile._

 _An elegant brow rose in vain. "And?"_

 _Her blue eyes drifted to him, and he hid a smirk when he saw a tinge of pink color her cheeks. "I just wanted to bring this." She said silently, her smile fading as she bit her lip in embarrassment. "Like I said, your penthouse looks so sterile."_

 _Sesshomaru regarded her with playful suspicion. He grabbed his phone and quickly opened his browser, typing in the flower's name._

 _The first week was a wreath of peonies- bashfulness. The second week were sunflowers scattered with Queen Anne's Lace- admiration and dedication, a sanctuary._

 _This week she had grown bolder, Gardenias: symbolic of secret love._

 _Sesshomaru chuckled; She probably thought he didn't notice her secret messages._

 _ **She really is amusing.**_

 _He watched her arrange the bagels out of another paper bag. She took a knife from the block and attempted to slice the bagel in half. Attempted to: her hands were in an awkward position. It was utterly evident that she had no idea what she was doing. Sesshomaru couldn't help but smile._

 _ **How adorable.**_

 _Sesshomaru stood up from his seat and strode towards her, stopping just behind her, standing too close to have invaded her personal space. She stiffened when she noticed, and he reached out and took her hands on his. "You'll cut yourself if you do it like that." He said, guiding her hands as he slid the knife between the bread._

 _Her small hands trembled, and he tilted his head sideways to peek at her face._

 _He smiled yet again, her cheeks were a firetruck red. "Oh," she managed to say._

 _Sesshomaru pulled away, but he kept one hand on the counter, trapping her in front of him, thoroughly enjoying his tease._

 _Her back brushed against his body, he realized…she was warm, and soft. And modest, too: she never leaned back on him and took advantage of their closeness, like other women would have. She instead stiffened like a marionette at their close proximity._

 _ **Utterly adorable.**_

" _You're too cute," Sesshomaru said as he pulled away. As he made his way into his room to take a shower for their usual "lunch date" later, he gave her a sidelong glance, "One day I might just decide to keep you in here just for myself."_

 _She dropped the knife in a startle. He proceeded to his room with a soft laugh_.

* * *

 _ **-New York,**_

 _ **Present time-**_

* * *

There was a soft knock on his door, and the young doctor had a hard time rousing from his sleep. He was not used to sleeping pills, had never been dependent on them. He had insomnia since his teenage years, but it never was to the point that it left him totally sleepless the whole night.

But the past two months without her was hell. And the Ambien from last night refused to leave his system.

A year ago, his sleeping issues were miraculously alleviated; that was when he kept her beside him, the blue-eyed girl, as she tucked herself into his body and he would feel her soft puffs of breath on his skin. She slept so trustingly beside him, and the warmth of her naked skin molded against his would always lull him into a deep slumber. He never could recall such good sleep for so long.

He reached out across the bed, and a familiar, painful ache started to infiltrate in his chest. The other side was cold and empty.

Sesshomaru curled into himself, helpless.

The knocking continued, growing stronger by the minute. Consciousness suddenly rushed into him, and he stood up with panic. He bolted to the door and opened it.

"Kagome-" he groggily said, swinging the door open.

His heart sank. Brown eyes and short-trimmed hair, looking at him with pity. "Rin," he said, recoiling to his defeated position. He hung his head and put a hand across his forehead, succumbing to his own thoughts.

 _Idiot. What made you think she'd suddenly come, knocking at your door…_

"Taisho-san. Can I come in?"

Golden eyes, exhausted and absolutely spent, swept her way. "Yes, of course."

* * *

 _ **-Tokyo-**_

* * *

The earmuffs barely shielded the consecutive blasts that were blaring close-range. But her shoulders remained steady as she positioned her arms, and her aim, at the perfect angle.

For a while, she marveled at the smooth sensation on her grip, the accessible trigger that was just at the reach of her finger.

 _Perfect. Just as I wanted._

She had to remind herself, to thank the developing team for the success of their newest _revolver_. For so long they had been creating semi-automatics, machine guns and shotguns- and these humble little lovers were quite a welcome addition to their array of firearms.

She pulled the trigger, the bullet tearing through the dummy's head twenty feet away.

 _Yes, perfect._

The blasts around her did not stop, but Kagome took off her protective equipment and placed it on the table before her. She stepped back from her cubicle and looked around with a serene smile on her face- it felt quite nice, to be honest, to have remained anonymous throughout the years. Here she was in a common gun range, enjoying the freedom of her firearms in peace with other gun-lovers who would keep to themselves. After the feelings of elations and the rush had been fulfilled, they go back to their lives,

Citizens who knew how to control themselves, all the while having a good time.

"Good aim," someone from behind her said, and the heiress spun around. She had to back away, the tall man was standing too close and invading her personal space.

Kagome looked up at him with the calmest regard. Before she would have blushed and fluster over such a proximity. Now, she simply stepped back and distanced herself.

She studied him with the same intimidating look, tilting her head sideways in curiosity. Long, raven hair, unbelievably tall, strong frame- dare she say taller than her _non_ -ex- Sesshomaru Taisho.

It was his wild, scarlet eyes that gave him away.

Kagome looked around to confirm, and she indeed got her verification. Men with black suits – bodyguards- scattered innocuously around the gun range. It was then that Kagome was thankful for her anonymity. Fame, especially in this man's level, would have robbed her of this freedom to move around as she pleased. "Naraku Onigumo, what a pleasure to have you grace this lowly gun range."

The man flashed a predatory grin. "Lowly? Are you aware that the yearly membership for this club could already buy a house in the suburbs?"

Kagome shook her head, laughing at her own expense. "I'm saying, you could have easily used your own firing range, and not descend from the heavens to make contact with mere mortals like me."

Naraku threw his head back and laughed. It wasn't controlled, or fiendish, it sounded rather… jovial, and it truly surprised her. Far from what the media portrayed him as- a ruthless billionaire with no soul.

He was the sole owner of the biggest aircraft manufacturing company in the world, and his valuation was amazingly in par with her inheritance. "A pleasure to have finally met you," she said. "Kagome Higurashi." She extended her hand out for him. But he looked at her with a smirk on his face.

"Higurashi? Never heard of you."

Kagome withdrew her hand, not at all offended. With open palms in front of her, she shrugged her shoulders casually, an unfortunate habit she picked up in the streets of New York.

The tall billionaire grinned. His hand shot out and he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't toy with me, vixen. I recognize your voice from a conference call months ago. There is no mistaking you, _L.K. DuPont_."

* * *

 _ **-New York-**_

* * *

"You look horrible," the younger girl said, reaching out to her cup of coffee, taking in the stimulant with much eagerness. She looked around her: unwashed dishes, dusty countertops- far from the immaculately clean penthouse she had seen in the magazines that featured his dwelling.

It made her wonder if it was all for show: it was her first time in his house, anyway.

She never dared to cross that line, not until now.

"I'll clean it later," he said as if reading her mind. He was slumped at the table, trying to rub away the horrible hangover of the sedative he took last night.

Rin softly closed her hand around the warm cup. "I'm sorry."

"It's my fault." He answered, never looking at her. "It was my idea."

"I told you so," Rin started, and she bit her lip, holding herself back. She didn't want to come here just to mock him, he was more distraught than she thought he would be. Those numerous "dates" she had with him, trials and errors at their compatibility, she knew it would end horribly. She was secretly dating someone, anyway. But at that time, she had to play along, she was betrothed to Sesshomaru after all.

The press loved it, their families seemed happy with their getting along. And Sesshomaru seemed to be gauging… if he was to stick with the act or not. It seemed beneficial, both to their social standing and to their financial stability, if the marriage was to go through.

She would have just succumbed to the arranged marriage, the forced displays of affection. But she found out about the blue-eyed girl.

She couldn't hold herself any longer. "I told you so. I told you we should have dropped the act."

He was indecisive. He was hesitant to stop the fake play, it was obvious he didn't want to lose the future he saw that came with the arranged marriage, just because of a common girl. She looked at him. "Now look at where we are now."

He finally raised his gaze. "I heard he broke up with you," Dark circles were hounding the once flawless face, and Rin started to regret her little rant.

"He did. I'll admit, it was a little disappointing. But I'm fine, we were just weeks into dating." She fell into a long lull of silence. "You and her, on the other hand…" her voice trailed off, and her eyes drifted to the entrance to his room. The bathroom door was adjacent and was wide open, on the sink was a pair of toothbrushes- blue and pink. "I'm sorry." She repeated. But then again, Rin held back.

She couldn't blame her. If she was put in the same situation, she would have honestly left during the first signs of his indecision.

Staying for a year, being strung along like the blue-eyed girl had… it would have driven her mad.

* * *

 _ **-Tokyo-**_

* * *

"Why hide behind your initials? You have a beautiful name, _Louise Kagome_." He released her hand. "And where does that Higurashi joke come from-"

"It's not a joke," she frowned, "It's my mother's last name." She dusted her wrist haughtily as if she were touched by dirty hands. "And please refrain from touching me. _Je ne te connais pas assez,_ _et honnêtement, tu ne me connais pas réellement non plus._ "

Naraku drew back with a smirk. "Unfortunately, I only know two languages, English and Japanese. So I'm just going to assume you're telling me that you find me absolutely charming, and you can't wait for me to take you out to dinner."

"Onigumo-san," she stopped and fell into a sudden trance. And a wistful smile suddenly broke her calm face,

"What?" he said.

"You remind me of someone…" she said, trying to keep her emotions to herself. Her smile was genuine. This man's brashness… it reminded her of herself, a year ago in New York. A stubborn, innocent virgin that did not accept no as an answer. A sudden feeling of sadness and nostalgia swept over her. She breathed, "I just had my heart broken not so long ago. So dinner would be a no."

Naraku drew back. "You dare break my heart to preserve yours? What a hypocrite." He grinned playfully.

Kagome's look suddenly passed into an eerie calm, "Perhaps you're not aware that your face is all over the news. I know about you, the billionaire rake who just got dumped by his college-student fling just weeks ago." She smiled at him oh so sweetly, "Is your pride hurt? Embarrassed that big boy was humiliated by _petite fille_?" She said ruthlessly, "Planning to use a big shot like me as your side chick and use me to bolster your ego?"

She stopped when she noticed Naraku's shoulders tremble. And she watched in disbelief, as he broke down in laughter.

"Kami, I feel as if it's been so long since I laughed. Louise, or Kagome? What do you prefer?" He wiped his tears of humor away. "You read me like an open book… amazing. Why didn't we know each other sooner?" He paused. "If you won't go out with me as my revenge material, then let's go out as new friends."

He took a moment to breathe, and he leaned to her, whispering in her ear. "I loved Kagura. I still love her… but nobody else knows the story. I don't have real friends I can trust, which makes me even more desperate. Maybe your social standing could set you apart from the others. My so-called friends… they're more than willing to share my miserable love-story to the tabloids."

"Is this the venting of a truly broken-hearted man?" she said, "I'm willing to listen."

"A friendly lunch at the Seabornia Yacht Club tomorrow. It should be private enough for you and me. We'll go as friends..." Naraku pulled away slightly. "Give me time to vent my sob story. And like a real friend, I need you to give me words of comfort. In the end, if you decide to sell it to the tabloids, anyway, I have the means to keep you silent." And he pulled away completely and smirked, motioning to the bodyguards around him.

Kagome raised a brow. "Silence me?" she smiled sweetly, "That won't work. I've been through that before, Onigumo-san. Maybe you've forgotten?" she laid her hand on a specific point in her chest, reminding him of her famous, grisly history as the only survivor of the murder of the DuPont Family, eighteen years ago.

The gun heiress regarded him with a curious look. There was something in his eyes that made her remember, made her recognize: not so long ago, when she looked at the mirror, she held the same veiled desperation, that same simmering anger and frustration.

It reminded her of herself once again. She was glad that she had broken free of that prison… and right now, it truly pained her to see it in someone else's eyes. She extended her hand to him.

He grinned. "See you tomorrow, new friend." He graciously received her dainty hand and kissed it.

* * *

 _ **-New York-**_

* * *

It was apparent that he was not responding to her reaching out. The short few months they spent together, although not intimate, was enough to be considered as a friendship on her part. But Rin did not want to force herself, she only knew him from the short "dates" and social functions that they attended together.

She truly felt guilty.

But recalling the times they would be together, she couldn't help but blame him.

 _It was in the dead of winter, and they were having dinner with acquaintances in one of the exclusive restaurants. Sesshomaru's phone beeped and he opened the message. She accidentally set eyes on the screen._

 ** _-Where are you? The movie is starting soon.-_**

 _His golden eyes flickered surprise. But he closed his screen, and he slid his phone back in his pocket._

" _Shouldn't you go?" Rin whispered quietly, her guilt consuming her._

" _It would be disrespectful to leave the guests in the middle of dinner." He said, giving her a quick glance._

 _She clutched her fork tight. "Then shouldn't you at least answer her?"_

" _No. She can wait. If she feels inconvenienced,_

 _she can always decide to wait in my penthouse."_

Rin finally stood. "Sesshomaru-san, I'm sorry." She bowed down.

"It's my fault," he quietly said.

As she was halfway out of his door, she paused. "By the way, have you gone through her apartment yet?"

Sesshomaru shifted, his eyes meeting hers.

Rin chuckled. "I'm surprised. Or maybe you just forgot about it?" she chuckled bitterly. "Apparently, her world did not revolve only around you. But you've probably realized that by now. I wish you luck."

She closed the door behind her.

* * *

 _ **-On the other side of the world-**_

* * *

The day was pleasant, not a cloud overcast, the winds were favorable and gentle. Kagome stepped on the wooden dock, the salty smell of the waters greeting her. She smiled at the pleasant view of the open ocean before her.

"On time. What a good friend you are," a male voice drifted through the port, and she shielded her eyes from the noon sun.

Naraku was standing by the bridge of a luxury yacht, clad in a traditional kimono himself. "You have good taste." He said, scanning the heiress' kimono-dressed form. "Looks like we have a lot in common after all," he grinned, and Kagome smiled.

"Ah, did you have your tissues prepared for your cry fest later?" Kagome teased, and Naraku laughed as he stepped off the bridge and strode towards her.

"Thanks for coming," he said, handing her a large bouquet of dark green Ivies and bright, playful Daffodils.

Kagome smiled. A new beginning, in hopes of a lasting friendship.

"Your Ikebanas always stand out in social events," Naraku said. "I know you love to put hidden messages in your arrangements."

She received the bouquet in her arm,

"Now don't start falling in love with me, DuPont. You're not my type," He said, "However, I heard I can be pretty irresistible..."

She shot him a playful glare as he smirked.

A distant memory of a golden-eyed man drifted into her thoughts, and the sound of his gentlemanly laugh passed by her mind for a short while. And Kagome recalled in nostalgia, pushing all the feelings his memory brought along.

It was still there; every painful emotion was there. But she was alright.

And she will be alright.

She stared at the outstretched hand of her new friend. "Don't count on that, Onigumo. Billionaire jerks like you are not my type either."

 _At least not anymore,_ she thought with a content satisfaction, and she took his hand and smiled.

* * *

The Aircraft Magnate had made sure his new friend was accommodated with the utmost privacy as she requested. She had not been publicly recognized yet, and as a social figure, he knew what her privacy meant.

He made sure everyone was briefed. Naraku very well knew that friendships, especially in their high-strung circle, was very rare. And so he was truly careful.

As the magnate led his new friend towards the bridge, they did not notice one of the employees of the club- concealed by the window of the lobby- take a cell phone out of his pocket.

He secretly snapped a picture of the smiling pair.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:**_ Gun violence in this chapter. Please skip the italicized bold paragraph if you don't want to read.

 _ **The Girl In Room 103**_

* * *

 **-New York-**

It had been the same as he had seen, the first time around.

White, empty… lonely.

Not a single furniture in the living room, the curtains to the high arch windows wide open. As if no one had really lived there, or ever planned to. He had only been in her apartment once when she stopped answering his text messages for a short period of time. He found her in her room, in the dark, all curled up to herself.

When he tried to rouse her she woke up in a startle. And when their eyes met, her blue gaze spiraled into an abysmal fear.

She grabbed a loaded .45 caliber pistol out of nowhere,

and pointed it at his face.

After he had managed to snap her out of whatever trauma she was in, he asked her to move in with him out of genuine concern. At that time, they had only known each other for a total of two months. And within a month of living under the same roof, he came home from a drunken binge and claimed her innocence. Since then they became physically intimate, she was sleeping on his bed and nowhere else.

Sesshomaru opened the door to her room. The same king-sized mattress was on the floor, the white sheets perfectly set and folded on the corners, a large flat screen TV sat by the wall. There were dead flowers by the windowsill.

Empty, as it had always been.

Or maybe it just felt that way, because she was not there.

Surmising his prolonged stay would only result in more frustration, he turned to the doorway. But an unfamiliar sight greeted him. By the wall adjacent to the bed there was a large frame spanning its entire length, and it was covered in white cloth.

Sesshomaru reached out and pulled the cover off- and his golden eyes widened.

He slowly stepped back and stared at the large, detailed _painting_ before him. And he did not know how long he sat there. Sesshomaru would have stayed that way, speechless and dumbfounded and frozen in time, until the ringing of his phone intruded the silence.

"Onii-san," Inuyasha said on the other line, "Where are you? I've been looking for you the whole day,"

"I'm in her apartment."

"I heard Rin-chan gave you a visit. She called me and begged to check on you,"

"Oh."

And a long silence drifted between them.

"Onii-san, what did you find in there?" The other line remained quiet, and Inuyasha gently prodded his brother, "Onii-san, please."

"I remember her, Inuyasha." He said, his eyes settling on an immensely detailed, life-like painting of the Aurora Borealis in a dark autumn sky.

"It explains everything. Her odd familiarity, the clinginess… I knew her from before.

She was the girl in Room 103."

* * *

 **-Tokyo-**

"Congratulations," was the newcomer's greeting, and the kimono-clad heiress turned and inevitably smiled.

"For being accepted in the University, or for the successful launch of our handgun?"

"Neither," He laughed at her wrong guesses, at her innocent reference to the dangerous weapon as if it were a mere novelty item, "It's for coming out of New York alive."

Kagome stepped out of the bonsai garden and settled the trimming scissors on a stone bench. She spanned her arms, and he eagerly stepped forward and engulfed her in a hug.

"Miroku-kun, did you escape from the lab again?"

"You sound as if I'm a lab monkey," He chuckled. "I actually did. Sango has an appointment with the fertility clinic today, I had to request leave. She needs my presence."

"C'est magnifique," she smiled, pulling away.

"What is this University business? No one told me about this,"

"I'll be starting school come winter."

"I'm happy for you," Miroku said, and a genuine smile reached his lips.

She nodded, picking up her trimming shears as she walked back into the orchid garden. He followed silently. "It's an accelerated program," she said, and Miroku silently hummed in approval. She walked past the cattleyas, her eyes searching for something specific. "Mechanical and Chemical engineering."

"Oh?" he nodded his head, Miroku was truly glad. "That's good. But I thought you were leaning towards aerospace,"

"I admit, explosives tickle my curiosity more than aerospace." She explained. "But I do have a new friend. He's an aerospace engineer, and he has quite the experience at 25 years old," A smile inevitably lifted the corners of her lips, thinking of her friend's cocky smile and arrogant bravado."I might just ask for his consult if our company is ready for such a project."

Her eyes brightened when she found what she was looking for. She reached out and snipped a yellow _Phalaenopsis_ off. "We'll take our time, Miroku-kun. I'm here now, I'll be here for the family."

"You've always been. Your temporary absence… let's just say you were on a short leave." He said, and she handed the orchid to him. "Sango will be happy."

Kagome shook her head, "This is for both of you."

Miroku smiled. "Thank you." He turned to leave when, "By the way, Kagome-chan. I have something to ask you."

* * *

 **-New York-**

"Onii-san," Inuyasha started, but Sesshomaru shook his head.

"The painting she was working on ten years ago, it's right in front of me, all completed. I can't believe it."

He recalled Kagome's tears in the flower shop when he denied knowing her. And the veiled hurt whenever he would brush her away. There was no mistaking it. He remembered the little girl with blue eyes and heavy bandages to her chest, working silently before a large-scale canvas that almost covered the wall of her hospital suite. Her gifted hands would command the paint and brush, slowly, slowly creating a vague image of a dark sky. And he sat in the corner, encouraging her, content to watching the life come back in her empty eyes.

Ten years ago, his mother's law firm was paid to handle a supposed high-profile murder. It was kept a secret, even to the hospital staff, especially to the media.

And the only eyewitness to the gruesome slaughter: a seven-year-old girl, who was shot in the chest but managed to live. She was found bleeding to near-death on the side of an estate-community road, in the freezing hours of early dawn. They later found out her entire family had been murdered, and she was the only one who escaped alive.

That was as far as he knew. Again, the details were kept a secret, even to him.

And she seemed to have not woken up from the nightmare: when she regained consciousness, she became severely catatonic that even electroconvulsive therapy did not bring her mind back from the trauma.

But since his mother was frequently in the hospital to work on her case, he was able to befriend her. Slowly gaining her trust, gradually making her smile.

He even promised to take her to watch the Northern Lights if she healed.

Then one day, after months and months in the hospital, he was able to help her find her voice. And that was when she disappeared.

He never saw her again, never even knew her name. He knew her only as the girl in Room 103.

"Yasha, I know who the girl in room 103 is." He said, "I know who _Kagome_ is."

And Inuyasha fell to silence. "Who is she, Onii-san?"

Sesshomaru shifted from his paralysis, his gaze drifting back to the painting. And it settled on the painter's name was signed on the lower-right corner of the canvas:

 _ **-L.K. Higurashi-DuPont-**_

* * *

 **-Tokyo-**

"Kagome-chan. This may seem abrupt, but there is a public fundraiser event scheduled at the end of the month. And since we have long passed your eighteenth birthday, you need to officially introduce yourself to society."

"Eh? That means I can't sneak out of the house anymore without any bodyguards?"

"Not really," Miroku chuckled. "It will just mean people involved in the upper circle will be able to recognize you anywhere,"

Kagome nodded her head, "Just like my new friend… or you, and Sango and Kouga-kun,"

Miroku's gaze hardened. "Kagome-chan. I reviewed the list of their invites. And the Taisho Hospital Network of North America is invited too."

Just as he expected, the cheerful girl before him fell silent.

"The organizers need an RSVP." He sighed, patting her hair like she was a little child, "We need a solid representation of the DuPont Firearms, and you're the best one there is. But if you're not ready, we can always let one of our family act as proxy-"

"I'll think about it," she answered, and she looked up at him with a smile. "I'll give you my decision before the end of this week. I'll think about it."

* * *

 **-New York-**

It was kind enough of Kikyo to cook for dinner. After a few exchanges of greetings at the dinner table, Inuyasha's wife quietly excused herself to tuck their little baby to sleep. And Sesshomaru found himself in his brother's library, waiting.

Nestled in an upscale suburb, his brother's house was always a retreat from the chaos of the city. And the view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was nothing but beautiful. But that was the only option his attention found, because whenever he settled his gaze on the shelves, he could only see Kagome's image in the middle, poring over the rare collection with fascination.

" _Have you read this, Sesshomaru-kun? Do you think this is a good read?" she said, looking over the cover of 'Finnegan's Wake' by James Joyce._

 _His brow vainly shot up, amused by her childish attempts of trying to impress him. "You're adorable," he said, taking the thick novel out of her hands._

" _But I love –"_

" _It's too complicated for you," He kissed her head fondly, "You might not understand it. Try this instead." He handed her a teenage magazine. And a veil of desperation clouded her eyes, but she would always smile it away._

" _Ah, mon Cheri, if you say so…"_

Earlier during dinner, Kikyo slipped and asked how Kagome was doing.

He only fell into a silent lull.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Inuyasha entered the room with a heavy bind of papers in his hands. He settled it on the desk to where Sesshomaru was seated behind. "I had to dig deep for this in mother's closed case files. Onii-san, are you sure of your suspicion?"

"There could be no other. Now that I think of all the similarities, it all makes sense."

"It actually does," Inuyasha agreed. They were plunged into momentary silence. "Onii-san. Now that we know that Kagome is the DuPont heir…where do you stand?"

"I'm not sure," was his honest answer.

His brother's gaze melted into something of frustration. "Does the fact that she was the girl in the hospital change anything at all?"

"I don't know."

Inuyasha heaved a breath, "I am amazed at how you still bear that grudge in your heart."

Sesshomaru lifted his gaze to his brother. "And I am amazed at how you can easily come to forgive them"

"We were not the victims, Onii-san. _They_ were. What we experienced from the scandal was mere _**collateral damage**_."

Sesshomaru shook his head.

The DuPont Family murder. It was an international sensation for all the wrong reasons. The primary members of the DuPonts, owner of the largest gun empire and tactical equipment company- who monopolized contracts with different governments of the world-

Murdered in cold blood in their vacation house in Zurich. The DuPont patriarch, his wife, their little son… the patriarch's visiting brother and his two toddler daughters: all shot to death in the early hours of dawn. Only one survived: the DuPont heir, whom the courts refused to release the name.

For some reason, the trial did not start until after several months. But when it did, it stirred up another storm: the DuPont heir, upon taking the stand, pointed its finger to one of the Chief Executives of the Taisho Health Network:

Taisho Akihiko, his father Touga's brother.

Apparently, there had been a deal that did not fall through. Or maybe he had gone mad. After the grueling investigation, all evidence pointed to his uncle. And the man was tried and proven guilty by the court.

And since the conviction, everything went downhill. Since his uncle was also carrying the Taisho's name, their market value plunged into staggering depths. Major investors pulled out, boycotts occurred, sending their reputation crashing to the ground.

That was the most burdening time he had ever felt in his life. And he and his father were forced to fight with the skin of their teeth to keep their company alive. Even at a young age, Sesshomaru had already borne the brunt of a dying company. But because of their hard work, the hospitals managed to cling on. And it flourished under his amateur management.

The worst was over. But he couldn't help but blame the DuPont family for their near-ruin, especially the tattletale heir.

The steam of the coffee rose to the quiet of the library.

"For so many years you held that grudge against them," Inuyasha said, and slowly, the edges of his lips curled upward, "But today you asked me to retrieve the transcript to the DuPont family murder trial." He shifted his gaze to the stack of weathered papers, "I'll leave you to yourself."

Inuyasha stood up and strode to the chair near the doorway and settled himself. And as Sesshomaru reached out and pulled the transcript before him, the detective suddenly paused. "Page 430." Inuyasha suddenly said, and Sesshomaru paused and looked up. "That's the part where she starts her eyewitness testimony." Inuyasha supplemented. "I just want to warn you, Onii-san, the DuPont heir was always known to be a gifted individual. And she has one of the most accurate eidetic memories documented so far.

That seven-year-old child's narration is very… graphic."

Sesshomaru's hand skimmed through the yellowed paper until he found his destination. Page 430.

 _Judge: I call into the witness stand, seven-year-old Louise Kagome DuPont. Louise, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?_

 _DuPont: I swear._

 _Judge: You may be seated. Lousie, in your account, tell me what happened during midnight of August 1_ _st_ _._

* * *

 _ **-Ten Years Ago,**_

 _ **Zurich, Switzerland-**_

" _ **It's cold," Kagome whispered, "Why is it so cold?**_

 _ **Souta-chan, close the window."**_

 _ **She was freezing. Kagome moved her limbs, and they ached. From the cramped space of her hiding place, from the cold that penetrated through her silk sakura-print pajamas. With chattering teeth, she stepped out of the little cabinet. "Souta-chan? Serina? Suzuna…"**_

 _ **Deafening silence.**_

 _ **She looked around her, there were no signs of any movement in the large bedroom. As far as she could remember, they were playing hide and seek. Uncle Sui even warned them not to stay up after ten, or else the monsters might emerge from the many antique fixtures and whisk them away into the spirit world. Of course, being the kids that they were, they did the exact opposite. The room was large enough, and there were many cabinets, so many hidden nooks and crannies.**_

 _ **Kagome chose to hide in the heavy ornate cabinet. And she fell asleep. And the others most probably fell asleep too: she could see her two cousins lying on the bed with their eyes closed, holding each other's hands.**_

 _ ***But where is Souta-chan?**_

 _ **He may have snuck into Mama and Papa's room again.***_

 _ **She rubbed her shoulders with her hands, and her gaze drifted to the only thing moving in the dim of the night: the curtains were gently swaying from the open window, the freezing draft intruding from outside.**_

 _ **The windows were wide open.**_

 _ ***It's cold.***_

 _ **Kagome tiptoed to the window, feeling the cold biting into her skin. Before she could reach it though, she came across the bed where her two precious little cousins lay. She watched them as they slept with their eyes shut tight, in an eerie, unusually deep slumber.**_

 _ **It was as if they weren't even breathing.**_

 _ ***How could they sleep in such cold?***_

 _ **With a little smile, she pulled the blankets that were bunched on their feet, to cover their darling little bodies from the wind. And she bent down to kiss Suzuna's pretty head. She then planted a kiss on her stubborn Serina, when she noticed the dried tears on her little cheeks.**_

 _ **And Kagome felt it… something heavy stuck to her lips. She swiped her finger and brought her hand before her eyes.**_

 _ **She stiffened.**_

 _ **Blood?**_

 _ **Kagome dragged the sheets down, and she froze. The bed was soaked with blood.**_

 _ **Her cousin's blood.**_

" _ **Serina?" she whispered, "Suzuna?"**_

 _ **The child reeled, drawing back from confusion… why weren't they answering? Why was there blood all over the bed?**_

 _ **Her breath trembled, and the little child who did not have a clear concept of death felt something constrict in her throat. Her vision flickered before her, her precious, innocent heart hammered so hard in her chest she felt as if it would explode.**_

 _ **Kagome reeled. But as she was retreating back, she tripped on something on the floor. And she stumbled face-first into something suffocating and warm.**_

 _ **She was drenched in a pool of blood.**_

 _ **And not only her breath shook, but her entire body trembled. She could not understand.**_

 _ **She could not comprehend.**_

" _ **Souta-chan," the constriction in her throat, the tightness in her chest made it physically hard to breathe.**_

 _ **Her little brother was lying face-down on the floor, the side of his head was dusted with white powder. And there was a small grey ring at the side of his skull, and a gaping hole in the middle.**_

 _ **That hole was where the warm blood was spilling from.**_

" _ **Souta-chan…" Kagome croaked, unaware of the shaking of her hoarse voice, unaware of the tears that were spilling from her cheeks, "Souta-chan," she sobbed, "Bout de Chou..." she lifted him from the floor, and she momentarily forgot to breathe.**_

 _ **The other side of his head, where the bullet had exited- was blown away. Chunks of his flesh fell gruesomely on the floor, and Kagome started gasping for air,**_

 _ **Still unable to understand, unable to comprehend. And her voice, the one that was retrained from the horrible constriction in her chest, in her heart, finally escaped from her throat.**_

" _ **Souta-chan… My baby brother!" she sobbed, like the little child that she still was, "Baby brother… my baby brother…" she clung to him so tightly but his eyes remain closed, he was rigid… and his skin was ice-cold,**_

 _ **As cold as the air around her.**_

 _ **And the child could not control herself. Her whole body shook from her crying. She looked around,**_

 _ ***Papa,* she wanted to scream out, *Mama…***_

 _ **But she was drowning in confusion,**_

 _ **She could not comprehend.**_

 _ **Then a loud explosion resounded in the hallways. Then she heard a scream, and another explosion. She heard frantic footsteps from outside, and the door swung open.**_

" _ **Take her and hide!" her father yelled, and she was scooped up into the sheltering arms of her dear mother.**_

 _ **They dashed out of the room. She could hear her mother's heart beating as fast as hers, and her breaths were in bursts of gasps, she had also been crying…**_

 _ ***Mama,***_

 _ **Kagome watched in detached conscience as her mother walked over her uncle's slumped body.**_

" _ **Get in and lock the doors!" her father screamed, he was wrestling someone in the hallway-**_

 _ **Someone with a gun.**_

 _ **Someone eerily familiar…**_

" _ **Bastien…" her mother sobbed, shaking her head desperately, "I can't… I can't…"**_

 _ **And Kagome realized her mother was already bleeding at the side of her midsection. And her father's head was bleeding, bashed by a blunt object, but still, he forced himself to fight the madman.**_

 _ **And she watched as her strong father fell on the marble floor, overpowered by the large man, like a tree, falling in the middle of the forest.**_

" _ **Momoko…" he said so quietly, "Get in and lock the doors."**_

 _ **The gunman pressed the weapon at the skin of her father's forehead,**_

 _ **And fired.**_

" _ **Sebastienne!" her mother screamed, and the little Kagome watched as dark, heavy sanguine soaked her father's golden blond hair,**_

 _ **trickling in the carpet, pooling on the floor.**_

 _ **And she watched in paralysis, unable to look away. Her father's blue eyes remained open, never blinking as his rigid body twitched,**_

 _ **Once,**_

 _ **Twice,**_

 _ **Three times on the floor.**_

 _ **And he gasped for air, and stopped moving.**_

 _ **She could feel her mother's nails dig into her skin as her muscles sprang. She turned and ran, away from the gunman, into one of the rooms. She fumbled for the locks, but it was kicked open. And her mother shrank into the corner with Kagome in her arms, shielding her away from the man… protecting her from the monster that had just snuffed the life out of those beautiful people, who meant the world to the little seven-year-old girl.**_

 _ **She heard a deafening blast. Her mother dropped on the carpet, her long strands of ebony hair fanning on the floor, shining like silk under the twilight moon.**_

 _ **Kagome's eyes were transfixed by a horrible waking nightmare. The whole time her tears had never stopped. Her blue eyes remained open, a silent witness to all that had just happened.**_

 _ **Unable to understand,**_

 _ **Still unable to comprehend.**_

 _ **And she would have moved, or screamed, or at least moaned,**_

 _ **But her voice was lost. Dissolved.**_

 _ **The gunman walked forward and pressed the muzzle on her chest.**_

 _ **And it felt hot on her skin. The heat of the previous gun fires burned through her sakura-print silk pajamas, and Kagome absently looked down, studying the handgun with a morbid detachment.**_

 _ **The muzzle, the shape of the barrel, the engraving on the magazine… in her mind, she instantly knew what it was.**_

 _ **Her father had the same kind, locked up in his study.**_

 _ **And then she looked up, to the face of the man that was holding the gun. She looked so hard she could almost taste his features:**_

 _ **The curve of his nose, the slight slant on his eyes, the texture of his skin,**_

 _ **And the mad smile on his lips, as he pulled the trigger.**_

 _ **Kagome heard a blast.**_

 _ **It was so loud that it left her ears ringing. The girl tasted a bitter tang in the air: gunpowder diffused around her. And she felt her blood spill from her chest, giving her body temporary warmth from the freezing cold.**_

 _ **She reached out to her chest, slowly feeling the outline of an open hole.**_

 _ ***Just like theirs,***_

 _ **She thought, starting to understand, now starting to comprehend. And the images of her family members, laughing, smiling, replayed like a bright, vivid dream in her mind,**_

 _ **And those happy images… slowly being swallowed in darkness,**_

 _ **Their lifeless bodies limp on the floor.**_

 _ **Her vision started flickering.**_

 _ **And the gun that put a hole to her chest was then aimed, point blank, right to her face.**_

 _ **Her body started shivering. The warmth of her blood had left her. She stared at the gun's barrel, it was covered in white and crusted with red, bits and pieces of flesh had stuck on the smooth metal.**_

 _ **He pulled the trigger.**_

 _ **And it clicked.**_

 _ **The magazine was empty.**_

 _ **The gunman pulled away. He stared at the large hole on the girl's chest. "You're good as dead, anyway." And just like that, he left.**_

 _ **And Kagome was left alone, staring at the wall…**_

 _ **She now understood. After all that has happened, she was able to comprehend. And silent tears continued to streak down her cheeks, with no voice to cry out, with nobody to cry out to.**_

 _ **She suddenly felt a light brush to her hand. She was able to shift her gaze down, to her dear mother… who was trying to reach her, but could only touch her fingertips.**_

" _ **Kagome…" she whispered.**_

 _ **She saw her mother's light slowly flickering out of her eyes,**_

 _ **Just like her father's.**_

 _ **And she could only drown in her voiceless cry.**_

" _ **Kagome-chan, my darling… we love you. We love you so much." Her mother gasped, her tears like crystal on the edges of her beautiful eyes, "And if you love us, you will try your best to live… Kagome-chan… please… I pray, with all my heart that you live…"**_

 _ **Kagome's body trembled. From the freezing cold of the twilight, from the deliberate blood loss. The little girl gathered herself, involuntarily moaning in torture, as she moved her weakened limbs, as she tried to gurgle in bloody breaths.**_

 _ ***I love you,***_

 _ **She thought of their happy faces,**_

 _ ***I love you all so dearly…***_

 _ **And their cold, lifeless bodies in the dark,**_

 _ *** I can't promise anything… but I love you. And so I will try…**_

 _ **I'll try to live. Because I love you. I love you.***_

* * *

 **-New York, Present time-**

"She managed to crawl out of the house, out of their gate. She was found bleeding to near-death on the side of the road, by a neighbor who came home from a red-eye flight." Inuyasha took a sip of his coffee. "The temperatures that moment went as low as 13 degrees."

Inuyasha shifted his gaze to his brother, who sat quite still.

The tears that had streaked down Sesshomaru's cheeks had already dried, as he continued to hold the transcript in his hands, not a muscle moving, not so much as a blink.

"She lived, Onii-san. Just like what she promised she would do. But that brave little girl was too traumatized. Because of her eidetic memory, she relived all that happened in August 1st as if it were happening in front of her all over again. And she couldn't get out of it.

But months after, she stepped up on the courts and testified. Justice was aptly served… that's why I could never come to hate the DuPonts, I could never bring myself to blame them." He looked at his brother and smiled, "And now I know that she was the girl in room 103, I feel a sense of happiness. Onii-san, you helped pull her out from her prison. You helped her find her voice.

Will you still hate her for telling her story?"

* * *

 **-Tokyo-**

"Mon loup," she shifted her gaze from the handgun blueprints sprawled on her table, to the tall figure that was standing before her. He had his arms crossed in front of him, glaring down at her with the most intimidating stare. Kagome leaned back and frowned. "So early in the morning," she peered in concern, "Did Ayame-chan forget to put four creamers on your coffee again?"

"Louise," he said, stiff and unmoving, "Where have you been last week?"

"Last week?" she pondered, tapping her pointer finger on her chin, "Private charity events, site visits, conference calls..." her blue doe eyes settled on him, "You should know, Kouga-kun. You track me down like a lion to a poor antelope."

"If I'm so good as you say, why didn't I know about _this_?" Kouga said, throwing an envelope before her.

With a raised brow the heiress carefully took the parcel, and she pulled out what was inside.

It was a gossip tabloid, with the most unexpected front-page feature: a picture of Naraku on the bridge of a yacht, his hand outstretched to a young woman carrying an oversized bouquet of flowers. The young woman was obviously her, smiling as she held his hand, allowing him to lead the way.

And the headline read:

" _ **AIRCRAFT BILLIONAIRE SPOTTED ALL SMILES WITH MYSTERY GIRL DURING IDYLLIC DATE"**_

Kagome's blue eyes widened in pure surprise.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

* * *

She stared at her Security Director's hardened face, and he merely stared back, refusing to give in to her look of innocent surprise. Kouga took the tabloid from the table and shoved it in front of her. "Louise." His brow raised like he was waiting for a lengthy explanation, like a parent catching his child in the middle of a lie.

And it was then that her frown cracked into a restrained smile. And Kouga stepped back, his brows knitted in confusion.

"Heh," she grinned, her shoulders jerking upward, and his heiress cousin suddenly broke into peals of beautiful laughter.

Kouga sighed. His shoulders slumped and he relaxed: it was a long time, after all, since he heard her laugh this way. A year ago whenever he made spontaneous visits to her in New York, she was mostly in tears, or talking with a subdued voice, pining pathetically for that man who never bought her flowers… not even once.

"You look as if I've committed a heinous crime," Kagome explained, "That wasn't a secret! Didn't I tell you the day before that I planned lunch with a friend?"

"Since when did you become friends with _Naraku Onigumo_?" Kouga took the picture in his hands and studied it carefully.

She waved him off, "Does that really matter? It was such a lovely afternoon, he was a good host. We had such a good time I didn't realize the day had ended…"

"Louise,"

"In fact, I'm going out with him again today." She wagged her finger at him, "And that's no secret either, because I told you yesterday, too." Kagome then sighed, "Although the weather report said there will be light showers this afternoon. I wonder… if he hates rain like the man in New York does. I love rain… as much as I love everything else that is beautiful."

Kagome paused. There it was again, that look of concern, melting into her cousin's eyes. And she tilted her head sideways, her own expression of sincerity, "Mon Loup, he is my friend. And Taisho-san… he was a whole different story. In case you forgot, I loved him since I was a little child."

"I just don't want to see you that way again," Kouga paused, "I swear, if what happened in your last months in New York ever happen again-" Kouga stopped when he felt her familiar warmth wrap him in a fond embrace. He refused to be deterred. "If you try and kill yourself again over a man who doesn't even fucking deserve you… I'll kill you myself, Louise Kagome.

And when I'm sure that you're dead, I'll raise you back from the dead and kill you again-"

"Kouga-kun," she said softly, the look in her blue eyes softening, "I'm sorry."

He pulled away and gently stroked her hair. "Just make sure that next time, if you ever plan to fall in love again, you have to leave some for yourself."

Kouga stepped back, looking away all the while hiding his face. He was trying to wipe off the tears that had sneaked out of his eyes. "Well, so much for your introduction to society. Your first media appearance and you are already linked to someone."

"Why so disappointed? Aren't friends in the higher circle a common occurrence?"

Kouga shrugged, "They're linking you to him _romantically_. Which you could always deny. But would you stoop so low to talk to the tabloids to clear your name? That would be tasteless."

Kagome chuckled, "Then I won't. I'm not hiding from the media now, as the family has agreed. Let them think what they want." She shrugged, " _J'en ai rien à foutre."_ And she pushed the tabloid aside. "They'll say anything that generates relevance, anyway. As for me, I'll enjoy it as it is."

"You might not care. But aren't you a tad bit wary at his sudden approach?"

The heiress settled into quiet contemplation.

"A man like him," Kouga continued, "You would expect him to be as complicated as you." And Kouga threw her a heavier stack of papers.

Kagome's eyes settled on the binder that displayed her friend's personal information. Kouga held his breath when she reached out for the material, but much to his surprise, she pushed it away.

"You didn't have to," Kagome said, "I know who he really is."

"Louise," The hardened look in Kouga's eyes softened.

When he saw the tabloid he did what he was supposed to do and more. It did not take him long to dig deep into the man's history- because he found out there had already been a connection made many years ago- surprisingly- from her end.

Of course, she would remember.

Because she was the one who first reached out to him, the first person to shelter him from the judgmental world- before he disappeared into the radar and changed his name to Naraku Onigumo.

And Kouga sighed, biting the side of his cheek, trying to hold back the tears that ran unchecked once again. "Sometimes I just can't believe… that a person like you… exists in this world."

She reached out and wiped his tears, "Ah, Mon Loup, you make it sound as if I'm a saint." She laughed.

"You fucking are." He grinned.

* * *

She made her way up the thousand steps of the shrine, breathing in the fresh scent of the open forest and the chilly autumn wind. She passed by a shrine maiden who was sweeping the steps, and she waved hello.

The maiden waved back.

Kagome looked up at the sky. The afternoon sun had settled, striking gold in the slender trunks and the red leaves. It was as if everything was on fire. " _c'est joli,"_ she exclaimed, releasing a cleansing breath.

She smiled. It didn't look like it would rain anytime soon.

As she trudged along the stone steps, thoughts of the tabloid ran quietly in her head.

 _The front page she did not mind. But in her idle moment, she accidentally flipped to a page where a picture of a familiar man was featured._

 _It was taken early morning, in a small café that she easily recognized. He was walking beside yet another white-haired male, albeit shorter. And her gaze drifted to the print._

 _In his temporary leave, he had canceled the engagement. It was not as bad as a loss as the media would have played out to be, because it seemed as if the two parties had agreed in consensus._

 _He was miserable, it said, not because of the canceled engagement, but because he was searching for 'the one that got away'. He had isolated himself, only went out whenever he was with family. Far from the perpetually groomed bachelor the media was used to capturing, his hair was in disarray. She could see the small stubble on his chin, the dark circles under his eyes._

 _He looked exhausted._

She stopped her trek, realizing she had reached the oratory hall. She looked around, absorbing her solace.

It was an afternoon exactly like this when she had her first kiss. And memories of the quaint little town square that was thousands and thousands of miles away rushed into her mind,

damn her eidetic memory.

 _She remembered…_

 _Every little detail._

 _The smell of freshly-baked bread from the bakery across the bench,_

 _She remembered the soft, assuring voices of the elderly couple passing by, walking their dog._

 _She remembered how the ice cream started melting, and the song that was playing in their shared headphone,_

 _And the smile that never failed to make her heart flutter_

 _As he bent down and he stole her first kiss._

 _It tasted so sweet,_

 _Like the bite of vanilla ice cream that he stole before he pressed his lips against hers._

The autumn wind suddenly turned cold, and she looked back up at the sky which had grown significantly dimmer.

Still golden, but now dimmer.

 _He came home that night, quite drunk from a football party with his friends._

 _She asked him, with all annoyance, if that was a frequent thing._

 _And he said no, and he kissed her again even before he could enter his door._

" _You're so adorable," he said, as he touched her in places no one has ever touched before,_

" _So adorable…"_

 _As he laid her in his bed and took her first time._

" _I love you," she whispered to him as he plunged into her,_

 _Burying himself into her so deeply, over and over again she thought she would break,_

" _Sesshomaru-kun, I love you…"_

" _Shit… you're so adorable." He answered, showering her with worshipping kisses,_

" _Please don't let anyone else touch you like this," he begged desperately,_

" _My perfect little doll…"_

A soft scuffling from behind caught her attention, and she turned around.

"I might have to rethink this new friendship," Naraku said as he fell to her side, and Kagome smiled, acknowledging his presence. "You're letting me out of my comfort zone. When you said we'd offer a quiet prayer in the Shrine, I thought you were joking."

Kagome shook her head and bowed down in courtesy. "Thank you for coming."

"I had the free time." He said, and Kagome reached before her and rang the bell.

It echoed in the quiet of the eerie dim, but beautifully golden, afternoon. She turned to him. "Won't you ring the bell yourself?"

"I've never really prayed to anyone before."

She smiled, "Then now is the time. Who knows, they might be listening?"

And Naraku fell into another quiet lull. And after he was done with his prayer, he reached out and rang the bell.

"See? That was simple." Kagome beamed. "Good job."

Naraku gave her a smirk, "You impressed by my bell-ringing skills?"

"Alors, never seen it done so perfectly in my life."

A challenged brow raised. "Do you think the Shrine will hire me now?"

Kagome laughed, ever so softly, modest enough to cover her laughter with the cuff of the sleeve of her kimono. All the while Naraku had been watching her in the corner of his eyes, quietly observing.

"I wonder… what kind of fool would break such a beautiful heart." He suddenly said, the look in his wild scarlet eyes immensely subdued.

"No fool." She answered, "Just a man."

"Who is he?"

"Someone." She answered simply.

"Why do you never rant?"

"Because he and I are done. End of story."

"Damn it," Naraku cursed, "You're such a complicated woman. You're far worse than my Kagura."

"Onigumo," she looked at him.

"What were the red flags?" Naraku asked. And he watched as his little friend closed her eyes and tilted her chin up, feeling the soft drizzle of rain fall on her face.

And he did not wince either… because he loved the rain. And he loved everything that was beautiful. And maybe she did too.

"The red flags were many." She started, "But I chose to be blind. And so that leaves me guilty, too. I can't blame it all on him."

"Still," Naraku finally said, "You didn't know any better." He cast his stare at the unmoving bell in front of him. "In case you forgot, you are still a child."

Kagome opened her blue eyes, her gaze still fixated on the dark sky. "I stopped being one, after the night of August 1st."

The two friends fell into a long stretch of silence, standing beside each other as the rain gradually grew stronger, soaking their kimono-dressed forms. And Naraku shifted, looking away, hiding his face from her.

"Now I understand why your family protects you like a glass doll. I'm starting to detest that man that broke your heart.

Are you even a real person? I can't believe someone like you exists in this world."

She shook her head in disbelief, "Someone told me that… just this morning."

* * *

 _She woke up to the gentle morning breeze, crumpled blankets and the stain of her broken virginity on the middle of the bed. The sheets still smelled of him, and giddy like a little girl, she gathered his pillow in her arms and smiled._

" _I love you, Sesshomaru-kun," she whispered, burying her face in his pillow._

 _She looked around, quietly observing. It was apparent that he had already left for work. Kagome sat up and stepped out of the bed, gathering the sheets around her naked body. Her gaze settled on the empty coffee cup on the counter, she could see it by from the open door of his room._

 _Their room, she giddily thought._

" _Ah, you forgot breakfast again."_

* * *

" _Doctor Sesshomaru Taisho," she said to the volunteer receptionist, and the woman gave her a sweeping glare._

" _Are you his patient?" she said, and the girl clad in an oversized sweater and yoga pants smiled at her sweetly._

" _N-no," Kagome answered, a slight blush staining her cheeks._

 _The receptionist merely raised a brow and shook her head. Kagome could swear that the woman rolled her eyes. She reached for the intercom. "Doctor," she said, "There's a girl up here in front that would like to see you."_

" _Who is it?" came the familiar voice, and the poor girl's heart fluttered. The receptionist looked at her expectantly, and rather, impatiently._

 _Kagome snapped out of her daydream and leaned over to speak to the intercom, "Ah, it's me, Sesshomaru-kun."_

 _Silence on the other line. And then, "I'll be right there."_

 _When he came out of the elevator, Kagome greeted him with a warm smile. "Bonjour," she said, but she halted. He was visibly nervous, his eyes darted around as if he were avoiding something._

 _He quietly nodded to the receptionist, headed straight towards her, grabbed her wrist and pulled her hurriedly with him outside._

 _They settled on a hidden corner by the pillars of the large hospital building._

" _What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice significantly subdued. And it made her wonder… was he angry at her?_

" _I came here to bring your breakfast," she said, summoning her smile that was somehow faltering. She handed him a paper bag, "I made that myself, it's Baked French Toast with Blueberries-"_

" _Kagome," he said, taking the paper bag, "You didn't have to." He looked around, "What did you say to the receptionist? Did she ask you who you were, or how you are related to me…"_

 _Her blue eyes darkened, "N-nothing. I didn't say anything…" she trailed off, feeling a cold tingle creep in her spine._

 _He sighed, utterly relieved. "Good. Listen, you don't have to come here. If you need anything, just call me, okay?"_

 _Silence._

" _Kagome," he said, his frantic nervousness halted… realizing that her gaze was stuck on the floor, her blue doe eyes reflecting hurt and confusion. Her lips were parted, and she continued to avoid his gaze. He sighed, reaching out and tilted her chin to look at him. "Hey,"_

" _Did I do something wrong?" She finally asked._

 _And Sesshomaru heaved a breath, "No," he said, taking her small form in his arms, fondly kissing her forehead, "No, my little doll, you didn't. It's just that… I just have a big responsibility with my family's name," he felt her stiffen under his embrace, "As far as everyone knows, I'm not attached to anyone yet._

 _But I plan to transition it slowly. Just… not now. So hang in there, be a bit more patient with me… with us."_

 _And he smiled in relief when she nodded her head._

" _I love you, okay? Wait for me home. I'll cook dinner." With a kiss to her lips, he pulled away and waved goodbye._

 _The girl forced a smile on her face as she waved back, and she watched as he stopped before the glass entrance to the hospital, straightening his ruffled suit and smoothing his pristine hair._

 _He looked around consciously,_

 _And with her paper bag in his hands,_

 _He dumped it into the nearby garbage bin._

 _He entered the glass doors with his perfect gentlemanly smile, nodding at the receptionist as if nothing happened._

 _And she watched all that unfold from the hidden corner he dragged her in,_

 _All the while listening to her heart quietly break._

* * *

The rain did not seem like it held any plans of stopping. And the afternoon was closing into evening, they decided to call it a day. As they descended down the stairs, soaked to the bone but never really complaining, the aircraft magnate suddenly halted.

Realizing that he was not following her, Kagome halted herself. She turned to him.

"There is something you need to know about me," he suddenly said, "DuPont... I'm the illegitimate child of-"

The gun heiress merely smiled and turned away. "Save yourself the confession. I already know."

He chuckled softly, under the cleansing rain. "Will this change anything between us?"

It took a while for her to answer.

"No."

"You're fucking kidding me." He looked up, refusing to wipe the tears that were streaking down his cheeks, allowing it to fall with the rain. "The company, my name… all that I have is the result of your intervention after the ruling."

"You give me too much credit. I only gave you the means. You were the one who did all the work."

Naraku shook his head, "If you didn't do what you did, I'd be nothing. Seriously, if we were in the feudal era, I would have gone down on my knees and sworn my loyalty to you right this moment. Give you my sword and do that ritual shit-"

"You don't have to do that," Kagome chuckled.

"You don't know how much respect I have for you, DuPont. Even more, now that I know you.

I'll fucking do anything for you at this point.

Hell, I'll even name my future daughter after you."

" _Kagome_?" the gun heiress smiled, "What if it's a boy?"

Naraku grimaced, "The hell I would name my child that. I meant _Louise_. That name goes either way, boy or girl. I'm sure Kagura will agree to that."

"I'm flattered. But don't you have to win her back first?" she teased.

"She's starting to slowly warm up to me… thanks to your pathetic cliche tips. Gods, you women are going to be the death of me."

The gun heiress tilted her chin down and laughed ever so softly, hiding her face with her _sodegochi_. It was a charming little habit he noticed, along with all the little quirks that came along with her.

And under the soft downpour, the Aircraft Magnate descended towards her. Stopping just before her, the towering man took off his montsuki haori jacket, and covered it over the heiress' drenched form. She was already soaked, and his jacket was, too. But it was all he could offer.

"I'll do everything in my power to protect you, DuPont. Just as how you did to me, so many years ago. You have my loyalty," He said, "Just so you know."

She smiled up at him. " _Merci Beaucoup."_

* * *

"Oh my gosh, were you able to capture that?!" a teenage girl squealed excitedly, and her companion leaned over and opened the photo gallery of her smartphone.

"He looks so handsome in person," the other girl squealed, her focus drifting on the girl in the picture. "I'm so envious…"

She scrolled down, to numerous pictures of a kimono-clad couple.

Standing close beside each other by the Haiden in solemn prayer, another one of them soaked in the rain, it looked like they were talking thoughtfully to each other with soft, content smiles,

And the last one of the billionaire standing in front of the girl, as he sheltered her protectively from the rain with his haori jacket, and the girl looking up to him, offering him a beautiful smile.

"She's so pretty, though. I wonder who she is."

"Hey, my uncle works in the media industry… he might know!"

"Let's go and give this to him," the other girl said giddily. "Wow. Whoever she is, they look so good together."

"Hey!" A newcomer's voice drifted into their conversation, "The Shrine's closing three minutes from now!" It was the old shrine-keeper.

"Got it!" the girls bowed down in casual respect, "We're leaving. Thank you!"

* * *

 _ **-New York-**_

It was hard to track her down, she was well-protected by her notorious family. They knew that their home base was in Japan, but where she dwelled exactly was the challenge.

And a frustrating one it was.

It seemed as if she were a mythical person, so well-sheltered that no one except her closest circle knew what she looked like.

He thought it would be easier, now that they have her name. But it only made it harder…

He realized she was a far bigger entity than him in society,

And he was feeling quite stupid for treating her like he did- a simpleton teenager that came from rural Japan.

Sinking into his couch he pressed his voicemail, going through the first seconds of the messages and deleting them mechanically,

His mind wishing to hear one particular voice.

The desperate hope of her miraculously calling him out of the blue,

Telling him how she missed him and she was willing to come back…

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

He needed some sleep.

But he couldn't, because even in his dreams she was there. And he would wake up again into the frustrating reality of her gone.

"Oi fluffy," A familiar voice drifted in, and Sesshomaru stopped his finger before it could hit delete. "I heard you're a trainwreck right now. From a girl." The male chuckled, "Guess the gossip section in the newspaper is right this time. You're not answering your calls. Hey, let me know if you're still alive over there, or else I'll have to prepare a lengthy eulogy about you."

Sesshomaru paused, and he took out his phone and searched for his contacts.

He found the familiar name.

 _Naraku Onigumo_ ,

His best friend during high school.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:**_ Again, all italicized paragraphs are only recollections/flashbacks of what happened between them. As you can see, they are following a linear sequence now.

**Italicized** are TV conversations.

Thanks.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8**_

* * *

 _& &&&& __She stared at the latest edition that was sitting on the further side of their bed, opened to the page where he was featured. Aside from Bloomberg and the occasional Forbes, magazines never really tickled her fancy, she had only relied on the news and the lengthy hundred-page reports Ayame would hand her every morning. She had never opened magazines like these, the only lifestyle ones she had ever encountered were the likes of_ _ **Portfolio**_ _or the_ _ **Robb Report**_ _._

 _But here she was, her hands on a special edition GQ, with him as the cover page. And Kagome only knew about this, because he said there was a celebratory party he needed to attend._

 _That was last night._

 _He did not come home._

 _The blue-eyed heiress rubbed her eyes, still burning from the tears from crying since last night. She had texted him, genuinely worried. But she never received a reply. And now, staring at the magazine which she flung at the corner of the bed from her anger, renewed tears started to fall yet again._

 _Of course, he was one of the top five most eligible bachelors in the US. He was successful, handsome, and the magazine said- "unattached."_

 _-So do you have any plans of settling down?_

 _Of course. When I find the right woman._

 _So you're a romantic._

 _I could say I'm traditional. —_

 _Kagome buried her face in her hands, trying to control her sobs. The interview was done two months ago._

 _They had been living together for five months now._

 _She closed the laptop and set it aside, making sure she had deleted the browsing history or else he found out. While she had been awake the whole night she typed his name, and out popped all of the images of him with several women._

 _It appeared that he was friendly, and he was actively searching. But one stood out. They had been captured by the paparazzi several times together now, more than the others:_

 _Rin Takeda, the daughter of a luxury real estate entrepreneur._

 _She learned that they were introduced to each other at a charity event by their fathers. And it appeared that she was the one he would often invite as his 'date' in formal functions._

 _Kagome breathed deep, trying to calm her stupid feelings down._

 _It was fine, right? That Rin woman was just temporary, just like those girls were just his 'friends', right?_

 _Besides, she was the girl he would come home to every night. She was the girl he would cook dinner for, the one he would spill his problems to whenever he had a rough day, the one he would make love to every night._

 _That would make her special, more than the others…right?_

 _Right?_

 _Kagome shook her head, unable to stop the flow of tears that came inevitably._

 _Her phone suddenly vibrated, and she fumbled for the small device, answering the call without even looking at the caller. She tried to regulate her breathing, and she forced a smile on her lips. She did not want him to hear her crying._

" _Kagome. I'm at JFK airport right now,"_

 _The heiress' battered heart dropped. It was not Sesshomaru, it was her lawyer cousin, Sango._

" _Where are you?" her cousin continued._

" _I'm at the apartment," Kagome answered. "What are you doing in New York?"_

" _Shit, are you still crying? Don't tell me you haven't stopped since you left me that voice message?!"_

 _Kagome stayed silent, too guilty to even lie._

" _I was in San Francisco when you called me. I booked a flight immediately to New York when I heard your message…_

 _Kagome… shit, Kagome… I knew it._

 _I told you he was no good for you, that fucking spoiled brat-"_

 _The girl clasped her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs- Sango was already crying on the other line._

" _Get your lazy ass out of there and drag yourself to the Ritz-Carlton right now! I booked a room in the penthouse. Come on, what are you waiting for, you stupid teenager?!"_

" _What if Sesshomaru-kun comes home-"_

" _I swear, Kagome. I swear-"_

" _Oui, Sango-chan, d'accord." Kagome finally gave in, wiping her tears._

" _You better fucking show up within the next three hours or else I'll give you more reason to puff those swollen eyes up,"_

" _Alors, I'll be there right now."_ &&&&&

* * *

 _ **-Tokyo, Present Time-**_

* * *

"Naraku Onigumo please." The girl smiled up at the receptionist, and the woman in front of the kimono-clad girl gave her a head-to-foot. The woman raised a brow. This girl looked too young to be doing _any_ business with the twenty-five-year-old magnate.

"Name?"

"Kagome Higurashi."

She scanned her list. "Sorry, you don't have any appointments."

"Ah," the girl tilted her pretty little head thoughtfully, "How about DuPont? Louise Kagome DuPont?"

The woman stepped back and gave the other receptionist beside her a surprised glance. They looked at each other briefly,

 _She_ is DuPont?

The secretive, heavily-protected _Gun Heiress_ DuPont?

The receptionist blushed, suddenly intimidated by her presence.

The young heiress held the calmest smile, "Je suis désolé, I might not be on the appointment list. He just left me a message telling me to stop by his suite today at my convenience." She blushed herself, "I don't want to come off as pompous or anything, but Naraku had mentioned it was something important. " The girl bowed down graciously.

The two receptionists were too flustered and star struck that it took several minutes for them to regain their bearings. The woman reached out for the intercom. "Onigumo-sama," she said,

"What is it? I'm in a meeting right now, this better be important."

"Miss DuPont is here to see you."

Without missing a heartbeat, the billionaire answered. "I'll be right there."

The two women turned back to the girl, she had recovered from her perfect _eshaku,_ and she was now standing in front of them like a porcelain doll. "Merci," she said, perfect and very formal, refined in every way.

The elevator opened, and out stepped their boss. And the heiress' shoulders relaxed when she saw him, and he grinned back when their eyes met.

The receptionists exchanged glances at each other yet again.

"T'es fou?" she exclaimed, frowning. "You didn't have to step out of your meeting, I could have waited."

He reached out and playfully pulled her ponytail, "They're adults, they can do without me." He smirked when she vainly pulled away, fixing her hair. "Besides, I can't dare make _you_ wait."

At this point, the receptionists were trying to suppress the blush that was rising in their cheeks. They watched as their boss turned, ever-so-subtly sliding his hand on the curve of the heiress' back, leading her forward to follow him. And his hand lingered light on the touch, not wanting to offend her.

"So what is this 'thing' you wanted to show me that was so important?" she said as they walked away, entering the elevator.

Naraku only grinned. "You'll see."

The elevator closed before them. The receptionists were left to themselves, gaping.

* * *

His large office suite covered half the building floor, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the city. Every detail was meticulously thought out, personally by him, but she was too distracted to comb through the expensive artwork and furniture that sprawled the suite.

The billionaire went straight to his chair and settled himself comfortably. "Make yourself at home." He grabbed a glass of wine and took a sip. "Louise," he said, noticing her sudden tension.

Kagome's gaze finally drifted to his. "Why is there a corporate lawyer here?" Her eyes were fixed on the red-haired man that was standing by the side of Naraku's desk. And he held a hardened stare at her as if she had offended him some past life.

She had seen him before, although in a picture. He was Sango's batch-mate in law school.

"Oh," Naraku relaxed, leaning on his leather swivel. "This is Harada Shippo, our company attorney. He's here to witness our deal."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "What deal?"

"Harada, if you can please." Naraku motioned, and with hesitant movements, the red-haired lawyer reached forward and carefully placed a one-page contract on the table.

Kagome leaned over and read the contents. And when she reached the near end, her blue eyes widened. "I can't possibly agree to this." She glared at Naraku, pushing the paper away. "I can't—"

"Remember when I told you that you had my loyalty?" Naraku said, his grin disappearing.

The young heiress shook her head. "Not like this. You don't have to do this."

"Then what are your terms? If you won't accept fifty percent of my company as my gift—"

From the side, Shippo quietly clenched his jaw in restraint upon hearing the terms of the 'contract.'

"You don't have to," Kagome said, her voice raised. "We can continue our friendship as normal people, you don't have to involve your shares in this. In case you forgot, I have my own company, I have more than enough—"

"I don't have to, but I want to." Naraku's tone hardened. "I also have more than enough. The contract has no other strings attached. Fifty percent, DuPont. I trust you with my life."

Kagome shook her head. "What will you gain by this?" Her eyes locked with his. "What can you possibly gain by this?" she repeated in utter disbelief.

"Your friendship." He answered, "I will have a concrete hold to you and your friendship."

Kagome shook her head in anger, and she turned to walk away. Naraku stood up and bolted to the girl, reaching out and grabbing her by her shoulder, forcing her to stop. "Louise, don't be such a brat about this,"

"Just let her go." A new voice drifted between the friend's quarrel, and they turned to the source. Shippo, with his hands clenched on his sides. "Naraku, she doesn't want to. Why force it on her?" The lawyer tried to restrain himself.

Aside from being Naraku's right hand, he also considered himself as his loyal friend. And ever since he had worked for the man he saw all the dedication the Aircraft Magnate had put into his business, growing it into the giant that it was now. And now he was literally giving away half of his hard-earned company… just like that?

To a mere woman?

"Are you so enamored with that little girl that you've lost your mind?" Shippo said, looking Naraku straight in the eyes.

And it was then that Naraku's grip to the girl's shoulder loosened. And he chuckled as he pulled away. "Enamored?" he said, "You fucking kidding me?" He said as he locked eyes with Shippo. "Do you know what this _little girl_ did?"

"You don't have to—" her protest was cut short when Naraku lifted a finger, silencing her like a little child.

"Do you remember, Harada, ten years ago in Switzerland… when an entire family was murdered by a madman one autumn night? Only one survived. I'm sure you know by now that survivor is standing right in front of us." His gaze drifted to the girl, whose tears were starting to gather in the corners of her eyes.

"Naraku, please, you don't have to—"

"She was seven years old. Seven years old, and she witnessed the murder with her eyes wide open. She fought death just to keep her promise. Now she lives with metal implants on her ribcage, she breathes with only one lung, she is heavily restricted from strenuous activities because her heart cannot keep up, and her mind is permanently scarred.

Her eidetic memory, which is supposed to be a gift, is a curse. Yet she smiles, refusing to be tainted from the evil that has touched her that night."

Naraku reached out and he touched her cheek, the girl pulling away in negation.

"You know there are two sides to every story. What happened to the monster that took away that girl's world? No one would care, right?

He could just lay there, rotting in a jail cell for the rest of his life. Although his lawyers pleaded insanity, still the stigma of bearing such a name will be carried in his shoulders forever. Even his relatives had felt the aftershock of his actions.

But did anyone stop to think of the madman himself?

Did he have a family?

No. As far as everyone knew, his existence would be better off cut short. But that was not the case."

Naraku looked at Shippo.

"Harada, my birth name is not Naraku Onigumo."

The lawyer stepped back, reeling.

"I am that monster's spawn. I'm the illegitimate child of Akihiko Taisho."

 _& &&&& He was fifteen years old at that time, and he could remember, as vivid as if it were yesterday, the memory of a seven-year-old girl surrounded by men in formal suits. She was bowing down to him with tears on her little cheeks,_

" _I'm sorry, but I had to testify… I know how it feels to have your only family taken away from you… This is the least I could do…_

 _I'm truly sorry…" &&&&&_

"The spawn of the monster would have been shunned by society, branding him as someone who would inevitably follow in his father's footsteps, not giving him a chance to prove himself. He would have lived a cursed existence for the rest of his life.

But that is not what happened, because the girl found him before society did. A fucking seven-year-old. Asking her legal advisers how to prevent this from happening. Can you fucking believe that?

They told me to change my name.

And I did.

Do you know what happened to the millions worth of settlements she got from the civil lawsuits against my father? She did not receive a single dime.

She gave it all to me, the monster's spawn. As an apology for dragging his life down with hers. She said it was the least she could do… for taking away his family from him.

Did he deserve all that? No.

What could she possibly gain by what she did?" He said, repeating Kagome's question from earlier. "What could she possibly gain? She didn't have to give away so much, because she lost so much, too.

But she did.

And here we are now." He turned to Kagome. "I owe all of this to you."

Shippo's judgemental glare had long melted away, replaced by a melancholic smile. He watched as the girl hung her head and cried in embarrassment. Naraku chuckled, messing her hair.

"Shit, Louise. I swear, you're not a real person.

You and your fucking altruism. "

The Aircraft Magnate gently leaned his head against hers.

* * *

The DuPont Corporate lawyer shifted from her seat, poring over the numerous documents in her computer screen. She heaved a breath and slumped on her chair, not really caring about her unladylike position. If there was anyone who was authorized to storm into her room without knocking, it was family.

She stared at the picture frame on her perfectly arranged desk; of her and her husband, and another one of her and Kagome as children.

And her stare drifted to the tabloids on the table, the one that Kouga angrily dropped on her table two days ago. It appeared that her cousin had developed an unlikely friendship with the magnate Naraku Onigumo.

But scanning the pages, Sango noticed one thing that was glaringly clear.

He was not hiding her in the shadows.

 _& &&&& __After she received a short voicemail from her cousin, crying and telling her she needed someone to talk to, Sango immediately booked a plane ticket to New York. When they met in the Ritz-Carlton it was to her utter anger that the girl was still crying._

 _It turned out that the man did not come home last night._

 _And Kagome found out about the women he had been dating publicly, and the one who seemed to be more constant than the others._

 _Sango knew about it, but she was too afraid to tell her. Watching her strong, independent cousin who held the most infallible fire to live, cry her heart in front of her…_

 _She couldn't tell her…_

 _Sango reached out to tuck a strand of ebony hair that was covering her cousin's face. Kagome had finally slept, she had actually been sleeping the whole afternoon now._

 _She couldn't tell her… that the man she so loved, was already engaged to the woman that was more constant than the others._

 _Kagome shifted, and her phone vibrated. Sango slowly took the phone and pressed her cousin's thumb to unlock it._

 _There was a torrent of messages from the golden-eyed man… from this morning, when Kagome had fallen asleep._

 _-My little doll, I'm home. Where are you?-_

 _-Kagome, I'm home right now. What do you want for dinner? Text me back.-_

 _-Kagome, its 8 pm. Where are you,-_

 _Sango's eyes narrowed, and an unspeakable anger in her flared like wildfire. She scrolled down, watching his messages grow desperate. The grip on her cousin's phone tightened._

 _How dare he._

 _-Why aren't you texting me back?-_

 _-Kagome, call me right now.-_

 _-Are you purposely ignoring me? Kagome, I slept in Inuyasha's house last night, went straight to work afterward. Sorry if I forgot to tell you, if that's what you're so angry about. So please, text me back or call me.-_

 _Hands trembling with absolute anger, Sango hit the delete button. She deleted all of his texts, how dare he… how dare he! And to think he was engaged to someone else! She clenched her jaw in restraint, how bad she wanted to slap him on his pretty face!_

 _The phone suddenly rang, rousing her cousin from her sleep. Kagome recognized the personalized ringtone, and she reached out to take the phone away from Sango._

 _But Sango pulled away, accidentally pressing the speaker on. Both their eyes widened, staring at each other._

" _Kagome, where are you." Came the voice, and the blue-eyed girl looked at her cousin. Sango shook her head, glaring at her in warning._

" _S-Sesshomaru-kun," Kagome answered timidly, under the absolutely homicidal stare of her lawyer-cousin. "I'm with a friend right now who's visiting from out of town."_

" _Tell your friend you need to go home." He said, his voice suddenly turning cold. And Sango knew that tone, of course she did. She was very good at reading people's faces, their body language, their intonation. That was what set her apart from the rest. She knew the tone of possessive jealousy._

 _How dare he!_

 _Her hand shot out and grabbed Kagome's wrist, sending her a silent warning. "Don't you dare go." Sango mouthed._

 _Kagome looked at her, and then to the phone, "Sesshomaru-kun… this friend of mine-"_

" _Is that friend of yours so important that you ignore my text messages?!" he said, angered._

" _Text messages?"_

 _The man in the other line sighed. "Kagome," he said softly, "I'm sorry… for last night. I was just so busy… but I'm home now. I cooked you your favorite. Please come home."_

 _And Sango watched, with tears spilling in her eyes, as her cousin's face brightened and she nodded softly. "Hai, Sesshomaru-kun."_

" _I love you, my little doll." The man ended the call. And immediately Kagome got up from the bed and hurriedly fixed herself to leave._

" _Kagome-chan," Sango said, and the girl paused._

 _-He's engaged to someone else,- she wanted to say._

 _But seeing her cousin looking back at her with the most genuine, relieved smile, she couldn't. Damn, she couldn't._

" _Never mind." Sango ended up saying. And she swore to be stronger… because it seemed like her cousin had completely fallen._

 _And she cursed as Kagome left the door._

 _He could have at least offered to pick her up in the hotel. But he didn't._

 _The coward was probably too scared to be seen with her in such a place._ _& &&&&_

Sango heaved a long breath of relief. In the past few months, her cousin seemed to be doing better than expected…

" _It took me a year to accept the reality, Sango. The first red flag did not go unnoticed, even if I tried to ignore it. And it kept on piling up, day after day..._

 _And then I just noticed… one day… I couldn't carry such weight anymore…"_

A news flash from the TV suddenly caught the lawyer's attention, and the pen in her hand dropped to the floor.

Sango's jaw literally fell open…

Without wasting a second, she picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number.

* * *

As the heiress absently stared at the tall skyscrapers that were rapidly passing by her vision, a notification to her phone caught her attention. She looked at the screen, it was Naraku. She tore her gaze away from the car's window and to the phone:

 _-I made the official announcement. It's out in the public now.-_

She typed in her reply.

 _-That was so unfair of you. Blackmailing me with your friendship,-_

Within a span of seconds he replied,

 _-It may not be a solid hold, but at least you are bound to me somewhat. At least be honored, little girl.-_

Kagome smiled _._

 _-Alors, you didn't have to do that. That was too much.-_

And she put the phone aside, after reading his stubborn reply:

 _-I wanted to. Now you're stuck with me in more ways than one.-_

The heiress closed her eyes and leaned her head on the window. In a few minutes from now, her own corporate attorney will be calling her upon hearing the news. For sure her Financial consultant and marketing executive Miroku will, too. And of course her publicist Ayame and her Security Director Kouga.

Onigumo was the sole owner of his multi-billion private company, now he had a partner who shared half. They had revised the contract to negate the half as a gift because it would seem all too suspicious.

They would make it as her buying the other half with an undisclosed amount.

Kagome sighed.

On top of her family business, she now had another responsibility on her hands.

"Merde," she cursed, "Did he even stop to think that I'm still eighteen? And to think that I have school coming up." And it was then that she smiled.

If it were some other time in the not-so-distant past, she would have been too preoccupied with anything else other than being with that man in New York.

At least now she was free from that toxic prison, and she had enough focus to do her responsibilities.

Her phone rang. She picked it up and smiled. Just as expected, Sango was the first one to call.

"Kagome? What the hell am I watching on TV right now? Is this for real? Shit, you got me completely blindsided! Where are you?"

The young heiress took a deep breath.

It starts.

* * *

 _ **-New York, USA-**_

* * *

"Sorry I got to you late," his friend said through the speaker, "I'm making a big transition with the company. I just finished five interviews in a span of two hours- fucking media can't wait."

"What is it about?" Sesshomaru said, running his hands on his hair, slumping on his couch in exhaustion. This damn sleeplessness…

"You don't know?" His friend said. "I'm surprised. Word usually travels fast-"

"I'm not really keen on watching the TV right now," Sesshomaru admitted. "But since you're being all secretive, I'll probably watch the Bloomberg replay tonight and see what you're so fired up about."

"Yeah, I heard you're turning into a hermit these days."

"Not funny, Onigumo." He sighed, exhausted.

"Who is this girl that got you into a hot mess?" Naraku asked. And when he was not answering, "Sesshomaru."

"She was my perfect little doll. But up until she left, I realized she wasn't just that. She's everything."

"Do you realize how pathetic you sound right now?" Naraku made a long whistling sound. "Damn, you must be in too deep, for her to turn you into a limp softie."

Sesshomaru laughed despite himself. "You've never really changed, did you?"

"Why would I?" Naraku answered. And they fell into a long lull of silence. "Hey," Naraku said, "If you need any help, if you need me to come to New York or anything—"

"I'll let you know. Thanks."

"I consider you my only family, Sesshomaru. So just give me a heads up."

Sesshomaru allowed himself to smile. His friend had approached him one day in school, asking if he was the Taisho heir. Sesshomaru was quite hesitant to answer that time, with their stained reputation and failing business.

Naraku, who was three years older than him, still befriended him, telling him that names do not matter. Although it was odd that Naraku kept on saying he considered him as family, he allowed his friend his eccentricity. Onigumo was an orphan, as far as he knew, had no direct family of his own.

"I will." Sesshomaru answered, and he ended the call. "Go and finish your interviews."

And the large penthouse suite was once again swallowed by emptiness. Sesshomaru buried his face on the palm of his hands, rubbing his temples.

 _She is everything._

He stared at her coffee mug on the counter, sitting untouched.

 _I should have known._

Despite his reluctance to stop the engagement, there was a reason why he never really invited someone else to his bed. Why he never touched someone else so intimately,

why he kept on delaying the marriage when their fathers had been pressuring him for a wedding date.

 _Because she was there._

 _I should have known._

Without even standing to turn on the lights, the young doctor turned his flatscreen on, the images on his TV flickering in the dark. He searched his DVR for the latest episode of MarketWatch.

 _**"This is a big transition," one host said,_

" _A sudden transition." The other host volleyed. "Let's see how their value is doing after the purchase._

 _The screen's focus drifted to a large graph behind them, with stock values rising and everything else looking positive._

" _Looks like this unprecedented move is actually pulling the valuation up."_

" _It continues to do so. Wow, just look at those numbers soar. Do you think Onigumo expected this at all when he was signing off half his company to his new partner?"**_

"Hn," Sesshomaru's brow raised.

Naraku was not joking when he mentioned a big transition. Selling half of his company to another private owner? And it made him curious. He leaned over, trying to pay attention to the hosts, multitasking as he took his Macbook and searched for more details.

 _**"He would have seen it. His business partner is a monster in the business world herself."_

 _The other host chuckled. "Monster is an understatement, Jack. Probably a Leviathan."_

" _A Monster of a Leviathan."_

 _The two hosts laughed lightheartedly._

" _Wow. Just wow. His sudden alliance with DuPont really caught us off guard."**_

Sesshomaru's blood froze.

 _What?_

He looked down at his laptop. Articles of Naraku's sudden sale to Louise Kagome Higurashi- Dupont flooded his screen. And a certain image caught his attention, and his hands absently clicked on it.

 _What the fuck…_

A stolen picture of Naraku, in the bridge of a yacht, leading a young woman holding an oversized bouquet of flowers.

She was dressed in exquisite layers of kimono, hair neatly arranged, so different from the laid-back girl that wore oversized shirts in his suite- but it was the same perfect-doll face. It was the same blue doe eyes.

" _ **Mystery Girl Finally Revealed: L.K. DuPont"**_ said the caption.

 _What the fuck…_

He clicked on the source, his heart simmering in anger and rage. But he could not stop, his hands were moving on their own, his gut was churning at the many images that intruded his vision…

Of Naraku and Kagome standing close to each other, not minding that the hems of their Kimonos were already touching, as he leaned closer to tell her something,

" _ **Billionaire and Elusive Gun Heiress captured sharing a quiet prayer in the Shrine."**_

 _What the fuck-_

His vision was shaking from restraint, but he was unable to look away. A terrible feeling stabbed in his stomach, nagging as it twisted and turned with every detailed image of his best friend and his woman together-

The two were soaked under the rain, the man standing in front of her, holding his kimono jacket over her petite form, and there she was, as beautiful as ever,

Smiling up so sweetly at him…

" _ **Is it Really Friendship or Something Else?"**_

Sesshomaru slammed his laptop shut, trying to focus but failing miserably.

 _What the fuck…_

 _What the fuck!_

He stood up and reached for the phone, the laptop crashing on the floor. He dialed a memorized number, and his first attempt reached Naraku's voicemail. It took a lot of his restraint to keep the phone in his hands and not fucking fling it on the wall.

At his second attempt, the man answered. "Sesshomaru? I didn't expect you to reach out so quickly,"

"Onigumo," the doctor's voice absolutely leaked poison, "Keep your FUCKING hands off my WOMAN!"


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N:_ **_Italicized_ are flashbacks

 _*Italicized*_ are thoughts

C'est tellement bizarre- Its so weird

Bâtard sadique -Sadistic bastard

Thanks for taking the time to read :) Appreciate your reviews. And before you throw tomatoes at me after reading this chapter, know that I will update shortly after this. (Can't wait for the drama!) Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 9_**

 _Perfect Little Doll_

* * *

 _Perfect little doll._

 _There was no other way to describe her, she fit so flawlessly like a porcelain fixture in his delicate glass house. The way she spoke, even her movements were too refined, too polished it was to the point that it was eerie._

 _Hauntingly perfect._

 _That was Kikyo's first impression of her when he brought her to his brother's house for Thanksgiving. And Inuyasha's wife was a harsh critic, she had been an authority in the fashion and beauty industry for most of her life._

 _The way the blue-eyed girl would enunciate her words so carefully, whenever she nodded her head slightly in pleasant approval, the erudite shrug of her shoulders and the flow of her hands when she was engaged in motion… even her slight frowns, it all seemed too… mannerly, and it looked excessively cultured he would sometimes stop to think if this was really her, or was just faking it to impress him._

 _An impeccable temperament, for a country-grown orphan like her, she was extremely well-bred._

 _There was something quite off about her, too. She was painstakingly precise._

 _Symmetry was imperative, order was essential._

 _And beauty was everything._

 _She was bedeviled with making every little detail perfect that it was borderline, if not, legitimately obsessive._

 _His refrigerator was perfectly organized, the contents of his cupboards were always meticulously kept. The flower arrangements she would busy herself with was always harmoniously in proportion._

 _Everything needed to be exact, linear, clean-cut._

 _He never met someone quite like her in his life._

 _Which was why it was not hard to notice when her mask failed. It was always so glaringly obvious whenever she would fall deviant from her usual routine of perfection and preciseness. And it was happening quite more often now, but he would never really pay attention to it._

 _After some gentle cuddling and whispers of endearment, she would always fall back to her perfect-little-doll self, and content herself with being by his side._

 _This time was different, though._

 _He was quite vexed, because she would not stop crying._

 _"_ _You're engaged to someone else," she said to him in between quiet little sobs, "Mon Dieu, Sesshomaru-kun… Am I such a fool to not have seen this?"_

 _They had been watching the news together, and the entertainment section briefly showed a snippet of Rin flashing a 1.8 million dollar engagement ring from none other than him._

 _His perfect little doll's bright blue eyes instantly grew a shade darker. He reached out to her, but she pulled away, recoiling from his touch, withdrawing from his attempt of affections._

 _Her rejection instantly stung. It burned so bad…_

 _it was something he had never felt before._

 _"_ _Kagome," he said, but she swatted his hands away as if it were the most disgusting thing in the world, and she wept, those blue doe eyes reflecting every little bit of torture._

 _Torture that he himself had brought._

 _"_ _Kagome," he reached out for her again, but she shrunk away from his touch._

 _"_ _Mon Dieu," she cried, refusing to look at him, as her tears spilled and her moans of heartbreak filled the room, "How could you do this," She shook her head in denial, "Sesshomaru-kun… Mon Dieu, how could you do this…"_

 _There was a momentary physical struggle between them, as she still refused his touch. But he was stronger, he took advantage of her small, fragile build as he forced her in his arms. She continued to fight against him,_

 _But he held her tighter, his precious little doll…_

 _"_ _Kagome," he whispered, as she thrashed against his hold, "Kagome listen to me. I love you. I love you…"_

 _She shook her head desperately, pushing him away. "Stay away from me–"_

 _He steeled his hands and crushed her resisting body against his. He didn't care if he left bruises, if her bones were breaking…_

 _He was losing her._

 _"_ _I love you, I don't love her. It's an arranged marriage, Kagome…_

 _Kagome please,"_

 _Her thrashing stopped, and she sank on the floor, still crushed under his desperate hold. She was still crying, still refusing to look at him. But he released his arms and cupped her little face. He kissed her hair, kissed her forehead, showered her with kisses on her beautiful face. "She's not even my girlfriend, nor did I even ask her to be…"_

 _And Kagome finally looked up at him, utterly confused and tortured. "I'm not stupid… the ring… you gave her a ring…"_

 _"_ _I had to, Kagome," he tried to wipe her tears that were continually streaking, "This engagement is for the stability of my family. You have no idea how it is to carry such a burdening weight…"_

 _The blue-eyed girl could only whimper, like a wounded little animal._

 _"_ _Kagome, I have a big responsibility with my family, please," he clung to her, leaning his head against hers, "Please don't make this harder for me, I don't love her…" he said, forcing his lips on hers, drowning her protests in his aggressive kiss, "I've never loved anyone like this," he touched her in places that he knew only he could touch, "It's you I come home to at night,", he said, as their breaths slowly quickened, not from the tortured pain, but from sweet, familiar pleasure, "It's you I make love to, no one else…"_

 _For the rest of the night, it was grunts and moans of sensual gratification that filled the room, and not heartbroken sobs._

 _And as his perfect little doll lay quiet underneath him, he sighed in relief, appeased by her docile temperament. He whispered to her soft little reassurances._

 _"_ _I need you beside me, Kagome." He held her warm, naked body against his, "Don't let go until I tell you to."_

 _She gave in. Of course she would give in, she loved him._

 _He knew that she was willing to do anything for him, drop everything else just for him._

 _She was like a little doll, after all, and he was the man who held her strings._

* * *

 ** _-New York,_**

 ** _Present Time-_**

He knew he was losing it. The moment he heard the traitor's voice, something violent snapped in him that he couldn't control.

Could he have known?

Probably not.

But _she_ would have known. For the whole year she had been living with him, she would have seen the many pictures of him and Naraku from high school. There was even one blatantly displayed, framed on his room right beside the picture of him and his family!

Was she doing this to anger him?!

She would have told Naraku about their relationship.

She would have…

And he would have taken advantage.

"You FUCKING lay your hands off her or else-"

"What the hell are you so livid about?!"

Sesshomaru felt as if he almost crushed the phone in his hand. "KAGOME, damn you!" He screamed at the receiver. And he shook, the twisting feeling in his gut was almost too much to bear.

He dropped on the couch, realizing his strength had drained. With a clenched jaw and white knuckles from his grip, he allowed unchecked tears to fall. "She's mine…dammit…" he sobbed, "Kagome… Kagome is…" and he trailed off, unable to really continue.

Images of her crying, pleading at him to make a decision stuck in his head.

 _"_ _Sesshomaru-kun, just what am I to you?"._

The miserable doctor splayed the palm of his hand on his forehead, and he pulled at his hair.

And all the while, the other party stayed deathly silent.

* * *

 ** _-Tokyo, Japan-_**

The blue-eyed heiress held a calm regard as she stepped out of her sedan and into the high-rise complex. Two of her companions tailed closely behind, prompting glances from the staff of the building as they entered.

"I'm here to visit a friend," she said, nodding ever so slightly, angling the gigantic bouquet of flowers in her hands for the receptionist to see. "She doesn't know I'm coming."

"You know her suite number?"

Kagome nodded.

"Just log in your name and leave your identification." The receptionist pointed to the blank piece of paper. After promptly complying, the gun heiress gave her a slight bow and proceeded to the glass elevator.

Her gaze followed the indoor garden in the middle of the complex as they ascended. "Do you think she will appreciate this gift?" she looked at one of her companions.

The woman's stern expression melted into one of fondness. "I believe your mere coming here will be appreciated, Gome-chan."

Kagome stared contemplatively at the bouquet that was nestled in her hands. "Alors, I've been there before, Ayame. I know how it feels."

The hold to her flowers tightened.

 _She recognized her. The moment the short-haired woman stepped into the flower shop, she felt as if she was crushed in between heaven and earth._

 _It was the woman more frequent than the others, the one he gave an engagement ring._

 _Rin Takeda._

 _The suffocating feelings only worsened when the woman looked her way and smiled._

 _Gods, she was beautiful._

 _No wonder Sesshomaru wanted her-_

 _She was sophisticated, and she exuded confidence._

 _"_ _Do you sell boutonnieres?" she asked._

 _Kagome froze. Seeing the actual ring on the woman's finger knocked the breath out of her lungs. She tried so hard to control her tears. They were burning through her eyes._

 _"_ _We don't have them on display," Kagome managed to answer, "We make them custom."_

 _"_ _Can you make one for me, then?" Rin smiled, "Well, not for me, but for my date. We'll be attending a charity event tonight."_

 _"_ _S-sure," Kagome croaked, "Any preference to the color?"_

 _"_ _No. Uhm, I don't know. His eyes… they're golden. Do you think you could get something that would complement his eyes?"_

 _The beautiful woman tilted her head in curiosity, and Kagome didn't even bother to think about it._

 _She knew her face was now all flushed._

 _She knew her tears were streaming on her face._

 _She handed the woman a white rose. "I'm sure Sesshomaru-kun will look amazing with whatever he wears."_

 _The woman stared at her for long moments, stepping back. Kagome wiped the tears at the back of her hands, like a lost little child. "Je suis desolee, I just… happen to know him personally, too."_

 _With a torn expression to her beautiful face, the receptive woman absently placed her payment on the counter. She turned around, almost reached the door when…_

 _"_ _W-wait,"_

 _Rin spun around, and her confused stare melted into absolute pity: the girl behind the counter was kneeling, prostrated on the floor._

 _"_ _Please," she cried, a pathetic heap, her shoulders wracking from her sobs,_

 _"_ _I loved him since I was a child…_

 _I love him even more now… Takeda-san," she shut her eyes tight, her tears spilling on her pretty flushed cheeks. "Please don't take him away…"_

 _And Rin could only step back in bewilderment, covering the gasp that escaped her mouth. Tears fell from her own eyes, unable to believe what had just happened. The rose fell from her grasp and it landed softly on the floor._

 _And Rin bolted out of the flower shop, leaving the broken girl to cry her heart out._

 _What she did not see was the people who walked into the pathetic begging and had witnessed it all. One of them strode straight towards the slumped girl, and she roughly grabbed Kagome by the hair to tilt her face up._

 _And Kagome felt the sting of a resounding slap on her cheek._

 _"_ _What the hell was that shit?!" It was her cousin, Sango, looking at her with absolute rage, tears of unbridled frustration streaking down from her eyes. "Kagome! What the hell?! Begging for a man's affection? What's this shit?!" She was practically screaming in her face, "You don't do that! Are you NUTS?!" She shook the younger woman hard, and she raised her hand to deliver another slap when another woman yanked her away._

 _"_ _Sango, stop, stop!" It was Ayame, pushing the older cousin away, protectively shielding Kagome from her reach. Ayame wrapped her tightly in her arms as the berserk Sango continued to hit and pull at the crying heiress._

 _"_ _You dumb teenager!" Sango cursed. She was crying, Ayame was crying, Kagome was crying… "Let me knock some sense into your STUPID head! Fuck! What the fuck has that man done to you?!"_

 _"_ _Sango, dammit, stop!" Ayame screamed, shoving Sango away. The lawyer was thrown to the floor._

 _Sango crushed her face into the palm of her hands and sobbed. "Kagome-chan… what have you become? You don't do that…_

 _You just… don't…"_

" _Come home, Gome-chan," Ayame whispered as the girl clung to her, "Please, stop this nonsense… why can't you just leave him? Just come back home."_

 ** _-Present Time,_**

 ** _Tokyo-_**

The hold to her flowers tightened. "I just want to thank you… for sticking with me, at my most foolish moments."

"You were too young. And you're still so young." Ayame softly laughed, and her smile turned melancholic.

 _*But you never really did experience a normal childhood._

 _You forced yourself to grow up…_

 _Just to stop everyone else from worrying about you.*_

They finally stepped out of the elevator and walked the long hallway, and they stopped at a door at the corner.

Kagome rang the doorbell, and it opened.

A tall young woman stood before them, very beautiful, with her haughty nose and chin held high up in the air. When her eyes met the heiress, a curious flicker of emotion flashed in her eyes, and the confidence that met them recoiled like a frightened snake.

"Kagura Kaze?" Kagome asked.

"Y-yes." The woman tried to hide it, but it was evident that she was trembling.

"My name is Louise Kagome."

"You don't have to tell me." Kagura's jaw clenched. "I do… know you." She cleared her throat, her nostrils flaring. She clutched the side of the door tight. "I'm sorry, miss DuPont, I didn't mean to be ru—"

"There's nothing going on between Naraku and me." Kagome suddenly said, and immediately, Kagura's tense shoulders shook.

The model started crying.

"We're good friends… childhood friends, technically." Kagome smiled, "Whatever you see in the tabloids is the evidence of a beautiful friendship, nothing more."

And the heiress found herself engulfed with Kagura's warm hug. The woman's tears were soaking the shoulders of her kimono. "I… I was… I was wondering… about that… "

"I just wanted to let you know, in case he has not talked to you about me yet."

Kagome allowed the older woman to lean on her shoulder and cry. The heiress sighed, relieved when Kagura held her tighter.

* * *

 ** _-Onigumo Towers-_**

He was crying.

He could not believe it, him, of all people, was weeping at the other end of the line.

It left Naraku speechless.

He wanted to reassure his best friend, and the only person he considered as family. But another side of him pulled him back. And inevitably, his stronger instincts came out.

 _*I'm sorry, Sesshomaru.*_

"Kagome? You mean _Louise_?" Naraku said, and his voice came out colder than he wanted it to be.

The aircraft magnate lifted his gaze from the desk to that one framed calligraphy art that was hanging on his office suite.

Stark white, with vertical kanji characters in black ink.

His eyes narrowed.

It had been ten years since the little girl with blue eyes gifted him that particular art.

Naraku brought his thoughts back to the present. "Beautiful, independent Louise." He said, almost in a taunting tone, "So you knew her?" He chuckled. And he took a sharp intake of breath:

"Funny, because she never mentioned _you."_

"Onigumo! I swear if you were right in front of me I'd-"

"Well, she actually did mention you… indirectly." Naraku continued ruthlessly, his wild scarlet eyes were triggered _ablaze_. "But that was only when I would egg her. But I'm sorry, I never knew it was you. She never mentioned your name. She never talked about you.

And I would never have known that my Louise had a past with you, or with anyone else for the matter.

When I met her she was all _smiles_."

"Naraku!" The young doctor said on the other line, he could hear the tremble of contained rage in his voice.

"Look at the time," Naraku cut him short, " Hey, got to hang up. Louise and I are having lunch at this new place in a little while, just the two of us, though, we always hate to bring someone else."

"Naraku!"

"I have to call her and I'll make sure to tell her you said hi."

"Fuck, NARAKU!"

"Oh, and by the way, I just remembered: I have to buy her a dress. She's my date for the upcoming fundraiser event in Kyoto. Now what color you think would suit her?"

"You snake! Just wait till I—"

"It was nice talking to you. Until the next time." Naraku dropped the call, and there was a deluge of silence.

He swished a glass of brandy on his hands, all the while looking at the framed Kanji across his wall:

 ** _Ichi-go_**

 ** _Ichi-e_**

He remembered the conversation they had just last night when they said their good nights after a wonderful dinner.

 _"_ _Tell me the truth,_

 _You still think about him, don't you?"_

 _The blue-eyed heiress fell silent. "I've been through too much pain, but I finally knew when to draw the line,"_

 _"_ _Louise," Naraku prodded, gently resting his hand on the crown of her head like he would a little child._

 _"_ _Alors, I already told him goodbye."_

 _"_ _You haven't even answered my question."_

 _"_ _Merde," she answered with a bitter smile on her lips, "Stop rubbing it on my face." And she hung her head and cried. "I don't… want them to worry about me…"_

 _"_ _Silly little girl." He said, "You can fool everyone else, you can even try to fool yourself."_

 _"_ _C'est tellement bizarre… you know me all too well._

 _It's as if you're another part of me…" she sniffled._

 _He leaned his forehead against hers, "It sounds kind of creepy when you say it like that."_

 _She tried to push him away. "Why don't you just leave this can of worms alone? Bâtard sadique…" She cried out, and he reached over and gently wiped her tears away._

 _"_ _Louise," he suddenly said, "I can see that you're trying your best… and you're doing just fine."_

 _She nodded her head, and he playfully blew her messy bangs away from her beautiful, crying face._

 _She smiled._

"I'm not doing this for you, Sesshomaru, because you damn don't fucking deserve it.

Don't you dare screw this chance up.

I swear. I fucking swear."

* * *

 ** _-New York-_**

Sesshomaru strode towards his room and seized a framed picture on his desk. With shaking hands he flung it on the wall, the glass shattering as it bounced to the floor.

He stared at the broken frame.

It was a picture of him and Naraku on their football jerseys, back when they were in high school.

The miserable doctor scrolled at his contacts.

He passed by _her_ name, and his vision momentarily flickered. And he recalled all his failed attempts to call her, how during the first day it all went to her voicemail, until it eventually went out of service.

He scrolled past her name and pressed call to another familiar number.

"Sesshomaru?" the other line answered.

"Father," he said, trying to reclaim his breath, "Did you send your reply to the fundraising invite in Kyoto?"

"Yes, I did. One of our executives is going. Why?"

"Is there any way to change it?"

There was a long pause. "What do you mean?"

Sesshomaru to the kitchen, and he stared for long, quiet moments at the clear vase that was sitting on the counter. "The flowers," he absently said, "I have to tell her the flowers died while she was not here.

Father, I need to go to Kyoto."


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N:_** Blocks of Italicized paragraphs is flashback.

Other italicized are thoughts.

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 10_**

 _If We Lived in A Make-Believe World_

* * *

 _-Naraku-_

"The red flags were many, but I chose to be blind."

He watched her as her gaze turned distant, into the sky that was dimming from the looming rain clouds.

A week had passed since that miserable phone call with his cousin in New York.

Tonight was the fundraiser event.

He never told his partner what, or rather who was waiting for her there.

She continued her spiel, oblivious to the storm that was brewing in his mind. "And so I could not blame him entirely. I, too, was at fault. I held on too long."

In all honesty, he was having second thoughts, starting to regret the impromptu dare he issued against Sesshomaru.

He acted out of anger.

After his phone call, he had a hearty talk with his girlfriend. Apparently, Kagome gave her a short visit to her apartment. All seemed to be well, when suddenly, out of the blue, his Kagura told him something she suspected.

It had not left his mind since.

"There must have been a reason," he said, leaning back on his chair. The food was half-eaten, the people around the outdoor café was too absorbed in their laptops or their lunch to notice the two friends chatting.

Today they were not in their usual formal kimonos. She was wearing a white and navy sailor dress, he was wearing a simple button-up long sleeve. And it was amazing how much of a difference it had made with their appearance. No one had recognized them.

He made a mental note to arrange more of these casual meetings in the future.

"You lived with him for a year. But I don't get the logic. You've suffered long enough to endure one more, maybe two."

"To be kept inside the shelf, only to be played with behind closed doors, your relationship and existence never to be acknowledged to anyone else, that would probably be logical enough—" Kagome absently twirled the pasta on her plate, "An endless cycle of hurt and hope… running around in circles… spinning… spinning… there was no end to the spinning…"

Naraku reached out and seized her hand, and the twirling motion stopped. "Until something happened."

"I just realized that I had to leave."

"You told me that non-boyfriend of yours decided to be in a committed relationship, and so you let go. But I don't believe your story.

What I do believe is that you are severely downplaying your version. It was not just all pent-up hurt that prompted you to let go.

Before he even broke the news to you, you already decided.

There was a final trigger that made you... give up."

"Ah, mon araignée." She said with a calm smile, "If I tell you now, will you finally lay this dead monster to rest? "

Naraku leaned back on his chair. He hoped that when she finished, he would not regret what he had done.

* * *

 _She could not stop crying._

 _She was exhausted… for the past two months his hospital group was expanding, and so he had to spend more time in his father's house than in the hospital. He would come home in weekends like these, and so, in the weekdays while she was alone she would cry her bruised heart out._

 _But it was not a weekday. It was a Saturday evening._

 _Here she was, alone, slumped on the bathroom floor, clutching an address he had scribbled down for her this morning before he left for work._

 _That was this morning._

 _Now it was evening. She had not moved from her spot since._

 _"_ _Sesshomaru-kun," she whispered, crushing the little piece of paper in her hand._

 _And that was how he found her, curled on the cold bathroom floor, like a broken doll with soulless, tear-laden eyes. Clutched in her hands was the piece of paper he had left her, the address to the "specialist" he wanted her to go._

 _It was after he saw the positive pregnancy test that sat on the bathroom sink._

 _He lifted her from the floor and gathered her in his embrace. "Kagome,"_

 _She shook her head, there were no more moans of heartbreak, only silent tears._

 _She felt as if she could not cry anymore._

 _"_ _I'm sorry I didn't even explain to you before I left," he whispered to her, kissing her head tenderly, "Right now, just, right now is not the time for this… I hope you understand."_

 _And the girl in his arms suddenly stiffened._

 _"_ _Kagome, I hope you realize how hard this is for me, too. But so much is going on right now. Everyone is expecting me—"_

 _"_ _It's not mine," she whispered hoarsely, her throat raw from all the crying._

 _Golden eyes widened in surprise as he pulled away, and he looked at her hard. "What do you mean?"_

 _"_ _The pregnancy test, it's not mine. My cousin came by the weekday to see how I was doing," she said, her tears gradually stopping as if she had found a renewed strength. And it was building up as she spoke, as she lifted her hands and dried her tears herself._

 _It was something he had never seen before._

 _"_ _She and her husband, they've been trying to get pregnant for so long. They're doing InVitro right now… and she tested positive._

 _It must be one of her pregnancy tests from yesterday that she forgot to discard."_

 _Sesshomaru stared at her for the longest time… and he burst into a sigh of relief as he crushed her in his arms. "Kagome, why didn't you say so? Damn, you had me horribly distracted the whole day…" he pulled away yet again, kissing her face, "Don't scare me like that again,"_

 _He wiped her residual tears with his thumb, and she smiled at him,_

 _Just as she always did._

 _"_ _I love you, okay?" he whispered, "Kagome, I love you."_

* * *

The ice in her tea had melted, drops of water were running down at the surface of the glass. The waiter approached the young woman to refill her drink but she graciously waved him off. And she turned back to the man across him, and she smiled. "Are you going to stare at me the whole day?"

He stared back at her, his scarlet eyes somber. "The 'specialist' that he wrote down… it was… an abortion clinic, wasn't it?"

The young heiress remained motionless, her face retaining her usual eerie calm. The clutch to Naraku's wine glass grew so tight it would have broken.

"And your cousin, she really didn't come to your apartment that week, did she?"

She reached out and took a sip of her melted iced tea.

"Gods, Louise." He exhaled deeply, splaying a palm on his forehead. "Gods. Does anyone besides me know about this?"

"You're not that special, Naraku. Of course, my family knows. But aside from the five of them and you, that's about it."

"Does he know?"

Kagome shook her head.

"Louise," he breathed sharply, shaking his head. "Dammit, Louise," Naraku sank back into his chair and ran his fingers nervously through his hair, restless. _Shit._

If only he knew earlier, he wouldn't have challenged his cousin to come to the fundraiser. Knowing Sesshomaru, he would take the first flight out to Japan after their conversation.

"What's the matter, Naraku?" Kagome's brow raised, "You look like you've just made a bad business deal or something," she said, digging inside the paper bag that had been sitting before her the whole time. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "What's this?"

She pulled the fluid-like material out. It was an evening gown. "This is beautiful," she looked at him, unable to hide her excitement. "Is this for me to wear later? Merci!" And it dawned on the older male, how young she still was,

And with what she was carrying inside her, how vulnerable and fragile she was.

 _Dammit, Louise. Acting all strong, when I can see through your mask._

"Louise," he said, his gaze snapping to the heiress. "Tonight at the fundraiser, I want you to stay by my side. The whole night. No matter what happens."

"Oh," she answered, smirking, "What's this sudden overprotective streak? Just because of my current _predicament_ I-"

He reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'm not kidding. Stay as close as you can to me, okay?"

Kagome pulled her hand away and regained her perfect posture. "Ça m'est égal." She said, admiring the beautiful dress.

* * *

 _-Sesshomaru-_

The waiting lounge of the airport was quite crowded for his tastes, but then again, it was nothing compared to New York. And so, he settled himself down with some coffee and a newspaper as he waited for his ride.

His plane arrived early, thus the wait.

He had on his hands a print tabloid. On the front page was the face of Naraku and Kagome, on their first press conference together. They were seated at a fair distance apart, but he was grinning at her, and she had brought the cuff to her kimono to her lips, head cast down, modestly covering her laugh.

A habit of hers that only he would witness, now for all the world to see.

 _"_ _I love you, Sesshomaru-kun," she said, her blue eyes looking up to him so innocent and vulnerable, as she straightened his tie for the dinner he was about to attend that night. "It's always been that way since I could remember." She reached out and fixed his collar, adjusted his necktie._

 _"_ _It's only you, and only will be you," her voice cracked, her absent gaze was on the engagement ring on his finger._

 _"_ _I love you, Sesshomaru-kun."_

He folded the newspaper halfway, the unpleasant, uncomfortable ache gripping into his chest. "Liar."

A uniformed staff quietly approached. Sesshomaru stood up and acknowledged his presence, walking past him all the while his chauffeur following closely behind.

"My luggage?" he asked.

"It's in the car, Taisho-sama."

"Thank you."

* * *

 _-Kagura-_

"It's beautiful, but..." Kagome said, turning her back against the mirror to study the exquisite kimono. Her gaze swept to the woman standing behind her.

"It's perfect," Kagura said as she reached forward, applying a little more gloss on the heiress' lips. "When Naraku told me you needed a dress, I didn't sleep for two days just to finish this for you."

"I'm not saying I won't wear this," Kagome said with an apologetic smile, "I'm just… surprised at the color choice."

"Gold?" Kagura said, pretending to be nonchalant. But she stole a secret glance on the petite girl as she was adding some finishing touches to her hair… and her eyes softened.

Naraku was right.

To the stranger's eye, it was hard to catch the little flashes of emotion that would flicker on the young woman's expression. She wondered how Naraku had caught it on their first meet.

Then again, for the few days spent with her, it was not hard to love her. She was so similar to her boyfriend, so uncannily alike they were in wit and bite she would have thought they were siblings.

"I have other kimonos I could adjust," Kagura said quietly, "If it's too constricting I could also -"

"It's fine just the way it is." Kagome smiled, passing a gentle hand on her belly. "It's already here, so we'll make do."

It did not take long for Kagura to realize what Kagome was talking about.

It was her, after all, who asked Naraku if there was someone else involved… hence the reason for the heiress' staying in that toxic relationship, hence the decision to let go. "Are you nervous?"

The blue-eyed heiress slowly reached out and took the designer's hands, and she pressed it across her chest.

Kagura felt her beating heart. It was loud and fast… and she was trembling.

And the teenage heiress guided her hand to her belly and cast her head down. Kagome hid her face with the cascade of loose ebony hair. "It's already here, so we'll make do." She repeated, this time barely a whisper.

"Louise," Kagura started, "Let me just ask you something… hypothetical." She paused before taking the young woman's hand and squeezed it tight,

"It's easy to try to ignore, and to avoid, and to barricade yourself from him. But what if, just, hypothetically, in a make-believe world…

What if he suddenly appears before you, right in front of you…

Living, breathing,

Not just an image on TV, or a print in the newspaper…. Louise, what will you do then?"

The young heiress finally lifted her gaze, and the torture that she saw in Kagome's eyes was utterly heartbreaking.

* * *

 _-Kagome-_

"Kaibutsu-chan. Are you listening?" The raven-haired businessman leaned closer, "Hey. Louise." He flicked her forehead playfully with his fingers. The older business associates who stood around them looked away, clearing their throats at such fond display of affection.

It snapped Kagome to her senses.

"Oh, I was just…"

Before she could finish, she felt a sudden tug on her arm. It was Naraku, pulling her away from the ever-forming crowd. Somehow, people kept on consolidating to them. It wouldn't normally be hard for her, she could easily remember names and details of the many people in the fundraiser.

But early in the evening, she thought she caught a glance of something familiar:

A streak of silver hair.

She had been distracted since.

 _What if, hypothetically, in a make-believe world… he suddenly appeared before me, right in front of me…_

 _Living, breathing,_

 _What will I do then?_

He brought her to a secluded balcony. Naraku braced his hands on her small shoulders, and he leaned over. "What's wrong?"

"I thought… I thought I saw someone I knew."

 _If only I lived in a make-believe world… but then again,_

 _If I did, he would have chosen me without hesitation._

 _I wouldn't be in this predicament of mine,_

 _I wouldn't be… trying to fool myself._

She saw his eyes cautiously dart around, a frown marring his quite handsome face. And the heiress, as selfless as she always was, started to fret.

She did not want him to worry about her. Her whole life, she felt as if she were a burden to everyone she loved.

Kagome tiptoed and reached out to his ruffled collar, straightening the cuff. "Alors, but it's just my crazy mind. We're still halfway through the night." Her hands slid to his necktie as she adjusted it with practiced fluidity.

"You're doing wonderful, Louise." He grinned, "You might want to know that."

She patted his necktie down, stepping back and scrutinizing her work. "In case you forgot, I was bred for this racetrack." She reached out and poked him on the ribs, from which she proceeded to arrange his boutonniere.

 _If it were a perfect world, a make-believe world,_

 _He would be standing next to me._

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She said, abnormally fixated on the flower before her.

"Will you be my 'Best Man'?"

Her hand dropped, she stepped back. Blue eyes widened in surprise. "You are…"

"I am," he answered, "Last night."

She covered a little gasp that escaped her lips, "She didn't tell me-"

He tilted his head haughtily and grinned. "We were going to keep it a secret, you know, to make a big scandal in the media. But I can't keep anything from you,"

And the teenage heiress strode towards him, he bent down so she could lace her arms around his neck in a fond embrace. "C'est merveilleux! Oh my, I'm so happy… Gladly, Naraku! Of course I will…"

He took her hands and squeezed it tight, and the two friends smiled at each other.

A scuffle from the outside signaled someone approaching. The outline of one of their business associated came into view. She pulled away, "You go to those old men. I'll come after, I just need some fresh air."

"I can't leave you alone,"

"Nonsense. Not even a few minutes?" She raised a suspecting brow.

"Trust me, you can't survive this night without m-" before he could finish the curtains parted and in entered not one, but a whole group of associates. They tried to drag the pair back inside the party.

"I'll come after," she repeated, laughing as she watched Naraku being hauled away by their board members.

Kagome turned to the star-riddled autumn sky.

 _If what happened to me… still happened in that make-believe world…_

 _If he would suddenly appear before me, I would have held my head up high,_

 _I would have told him that I was doing absolutely fine._

 _I would tell him to leave me alone… I don't need him,_

 _I'm too good for him._

She heard more chatter coming from the inside of the function room, and she sighed. Her grip to the parapet tightened.

 _But I know that this is not a make-believe world._

Kagome gathered herself, letting out a cleansing breath. She closed her eyes and slapped her cheeks, trying so hard to bring her focus back to the present.

 _He shouldn't appear before me. Not right now._

 _Because the very reason… why I left his side that day,_

 _Was because I knew_

 _that I needed to walk away while he was not looking…_

She sighed as she turned back to the curtained crowd, and she smiled bitterly. She made her way towards the open glass doors.

"Kagome."

Her gaze snapped up, her breath hitched.

 _If I didn't walk away…_

"Sesshomaru-kun," she croaked.

He was there, standing before her, his golden gaze melting all the doubt, obliterating all the pain.

 _I knew that if I didn't walk away,_

 ** _This_** _would happen._

All the courage in her crumbling,

And the iron mask that she so carefully built...

it shattered like thin glass.

* * *

 _-Sesshomaru-_

 _You're more beautiful now_

 _Than I've ever remembered._

The light touches, the warmth when their eyes would momentarily meet… he would subtly tease, she would playfully huff…

Them acknowledging each other's slightest movements,

She rewarded him with a quiet nod, a sweet smile from the most mundane gestures.

 _That smile of yours…_

 _I miss it…_

The young doctor struggled to keep a calm demeanor.

But inside he was burning.

His traitor of a best friend kept a possessive stride beside her the whole night. In a group of people, she tried to back away. But Naraku grabbed her arm… that bastard! Naraku pulled her back to his side, as if he were afraid she would stray five inches away from him.

 _I was…_

 _the only one who could touch you like that…_

His vision was literally flickering, he could hear the rush of blood surging into his head.

Naraku led her into the secluded balcony, and they talked for quite a while. She then tiptoed and reached out to fix the bastard's collar… her fingers fluttering to his necktie…

She was fixing his fucking necktie, couldn't the bastard do it himself?!

 _Why are you… touching him so fondly?_

She pulled away and patted Naraku's chest, beaming at her work.

 _All that time we spent together… did it mean nothing to you at all?_

Naraku said something to her, and her face lit up with a genuine smile.

Sesshomaru felt as if he was sick to his stomach.

 _You seem to be… happy with him…_

His gut... churning, twisting... she opened her arms and they embraced.

 _That smile of yours..._

 _I miss it._

In an instant, Sesshomaru's mind went completely blank.

* * *

 _-Kagome-_

"Sesshomaru-kun!" she cried out, unable to hold back her tears.

 _Pathetic._

 _I'm truly… pathetic._

 _Why…_

 _why can't I seem to unlove you?_

She reached out to him, a torrent of tears streaking down her cheeks. He ran to her, _ran_ to her! He scooped her up in his arms and engulfed her small body into his. And she melted into the familiar warmth of his embrace, as he softly called out her name. He cupped his hands on her face, and their eyes locked.

"Mon Chéri," she said breathlessly, "Je t'aime, and I missed you… terribly missed you…"

"Kagome," he said, dipping down, his lips crashing against hers. And the poor girl could do nothing but surrender.

All of her,

To his heated kiss, to his tongue dancing on hers… she felt as if she were on fire…

A naïve little moth once again lured into destructive, merciless flames.

 _Please... just let me stay in this make-believe world..._

"Sesshomaru-kun," she pulled away, "I have something to tell you," she said, breathless. She was happy, truly happy! She felt a pleasant fluttering in her stomach, the world was spinning from sheer happiness.

"Let me say something first," he said, wiping her tears with his warm hands. And then his fingers dug deeper into her skin.

"S-Sesshomaru-kun… wait-"

He crushed her body into his, ignoring her soft pleas. Yanking her hair he pushed her to the rail, her back hitting the cold metal. She would have gasped from startling pain but he claimed her lips yet again.

Her eyes flew wide with shock. "S-Sessh—"

Gone was the gentle kiss, the longing sighs.

He was mercilessly rough, his grasp on her wrists like steel. Kagome realized… he had turned into a stranger, bruising her lips, leaving marks on her arms. And before the bewildered heiress could push him away he suddenly tipped back, pulling the sleeves of her kimono down…

Making it look like she was the one who forced herself upon the man.

With clenched jaws and golden eyes burning with anger, Sesshomaru hovered his lips over her ear and whispered something.

And the heiress froze, her breath knocked out of her lungs, her blue eyes darkened in hue.

All the love and affection, the yearning for him in her soul recoiled,

hiding back inside the deepest, darkest chambers of her heart the moment she heard the words:

"How does it feel to have everyone wrapped in your finger, you little harlot?"

 _Ah, if only I lived in a make-believe world._

* * *

 ** _A/N:_**

next, Chapter 11: _When true love ends_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

 _When True Love Ends_

* * *

 _ **-The Day Before-**_

" _So you decided to come, after all?" Kagome said, raising a brow at her kimono-clad friend who suddenly appeared beside her. The Shrine was quiet with only a few patrons, they did not need to conceal their appearances anymore._

 _Naraku reached forward and rang the bell in front of him. "I had the extra time."_

 _They stood in the sheltering solace of the ancient grounds, and they fell into quiet prayer. After long moments of silence, the billionaire turned to his petite companion._

" _It's weird… how the both of us get along so easily."_

" _Hmmm," Kagome smiled._

" _It's as if we knew each other from a past life or something…" he hung his head down, and they were covered with another dead silence. Then the silence was filled with soft giggling, and it bubbled into an amused chortle._

 _The two friends momentarily lost their perfect posture: their bodies crumpled into a fit of laughter._

 _Kagome wiped the tears of mirth that escaped her eyes. "Ah, did the ghost of a sentimental shrine maiden possess my friend?"_

" _My apologies, I don't know what came into me."_

" _I don't believe in it, though." The girl said, and their eyes met. Naraku tilted his head slightly._

" _Reincarnation," Kagome clarified, bringing her gaze back to the bell. "I don't believe in it. What I do believe… is that we only have one shot in this life. That's why I never take things for granted. This life, these moments… they only come once. We have to treasure each moment as if it were our last."_

 _The cool afternoon wind rustled through the surrounding trees. Naraku reached out towards the heiress, and he gently tucked the strands of her strayed hair behind her ears. "I wish I had met you sooner. Maybe things would have turned out differently… maybe I would have loved you differently…"_

 _Kagome gently shook her head. "And then you would still meet Kagura, and you will love her as you love her now." She smiled at him softly. "Don't worry about me, you shouldn't hold back with her. Show her how you truly feel… you only have one shot in this life. As for us, we will always be this way. I will always be this way. No matter what happens."_

" _Do you promise?"_

 _Kagome nodded, reassuring him with a cheery smile._

" _We're not destined to be lovers. Perhaps we're soulmates?" he said, a smile playing on his lips._

" _Oui," Kagome answered, "Perhaps you're right. We're soulmates."_

Naraku turned to her. " _And I'm glad I met my soulmate…_

 _before this one life of ours comes to an end."_

" _Same here," she said softly, "I'm glad, too."_

 _The two friends finally locked gazes, and they smiled._

* * *

"How does it feel to have everyone wrapped around your finger, you little harlot?"

"Sesshomaru-kun," she choked back her sobs, reaching out to familiar strands of silken white hair.

He shoved her eager hand away. "You found someone wealthier than me, that's why you didn't bother for any reconciliation, am I right?" His eyes were bloodshot and brimming with tears. He was shaking in rage…

"Mon Cheri, I-"

"Father was pushing me for a wedding date but I could never give one. I kept holding myself back… Because when I went home, you were there." He looked up at her in torture. The once well-groomed face was haggard and unshaven, his eyes were in a dark hollow. Exhausted, utterly drained from many sleepless nights, Kagome couldn't help but crumble.

"You were my home. When I said I loved you, it wasn't a lie. I didn't want to go back to that life of poverty… but at the same time, I didn't want to lose you!"

The girl shook her head, crying. And he was crying, too. Sesshomaru continued, not even bothering to wipe the tears on his face. "You think it was hard for you? Didn't you stop to think that it was hard for me, too, pretending that I didn't care? Pretending that I didn't hear your cry when you thought I was sleeping? I know that I hurt you… and I know that I've been selfish…

But dammit, Kagome.

Every day I wake up with the resolve to let you go…

But whenever you were in front of me, and you look at me with those eyes, I couldn't…

I just couldn't.

Even if it was tearing both of us apart,

I couldn't let you go."

She clutched her heart and shook her head, "Mon Cheri, it was only you, it's only been you!" She cried out, wringing her hands in despair. This was all a misunderstanding, a horrible misunderstanding! She needed to clear it now or else—

"You liar!" he seized her arms and shoved her away, pushing her to the railing. Her eyes were wide in shock at the sudden assault. she looked at him, and he looked at her…

A flash of blinding pain hit Sesshomaru's jaw, and the young doctor reeled back.

"Fucking Asshole!" The newcomer screamed, and the doctor's vision recovered. It was Naraku, his face grimaced with anger. "What the hell are you doing?! You selfish prick!"

"Naraku, stop it!" Kagome wailed, flinging her hands around the magnate, her small body trying to restrain the imposing man.

The infuriated magnate could not contain his outrage. In a rush of animosity, he turned towards the bewildered Sesshomaru. "You son of a bitch! She's with child!"

He raised his hand for another blow but Kagome held him back yet again.

"Naraku…" she whispered. She was bracing herself against him, "Please…"

Sesshomaru watched them, a cold detachment slowly veiling over his eyes.

He saw how his woman pleaded with his so-called best friend with one look.

He saw how Naraku's anger immediately simmered down, as the scarlet-eyed bastard controlled himself for her sake.

And as if in slow motion, he saw how the magnate reached out and gently nudged her precious cheek with the back of his hand, whispering with a sense of urgency, "Louise… did he you hurt anywhere?"

The raw torture in Sesshomaru's eyes was slowly replaced with a cold distance. He stepped back… and he chuckled.

"I should have known." He murmured under his breath, a bitter smile cracking on his hardened expression.

Naraku's gaze snapped towards him. "What the fuck are you talking about?!"

Sesshomaru turned his cold stare to the miserable girl. "You're playing that same game with him, aren't you? Getting yourself pregnant to have a sure hold…"

Kagome's eyes widened in horror. "Sesshomaru-kun, this child is –"

"But too bad for you, the joke didn't work on me. And so you decided to conceive for real with that bastard to hook him in." He watched as Kagome's vulnerable eyes darkened in hue. "I was right about the DuPonts after all…

Manipulative, opportunistic bullies…"

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words could escape her. Dumbfounded in utter shock, paralyzed in disbelief.

"I'm glad I got rid of you after all, you desperate _whore_." He straightened his shoulders, and he looked down at her small, trembling body. Sesshomaru strode forward.

Kagome pulled away from Naraku, spanning her arms to him. But he brushed past her, grazing her shoulders,

Shoving her to the rail. The push was so strong and reckless she stumbled to the ground.

She yelped in pain. But the young doctor walked away, never looking back.

Kagome cried out, eyes that were burning and blurry with tears, hands reaching out to his disappearing form. "Sesshomaru—"

The heiress was cut short. Something shook her hard, and that was when she realized it was her best friend roughing her up, screaming at her ear.

"Louise! Stop it!"

The young woman could not hold back her tears… She was desperate. She ripped away from Naraku's hold and chased after him, like a madwoman frantically searching in the middle of a confused crowd.

"Louise!" Naraku called out, chasing after her. But the girl fled out of the doors.

"Sesshomaru-kun…" she kept whispering, over and over, already out of breath. The heiress bumped into someone who was just entering the mansion- it was a dressed-up Kagura, shocked as the woman braced her hands against the petite girl.

"Kagome, what the hell happened—"

"I need to talk to him. I need to tell him this was all a misunderstanding!" she said in between desperate sobs. The heiress pushed Kagura away and ran off.

The confused friend looked over and saw Naraku coming fast towards her with an immensely worried look on his face. Gathering the loose cloth of her own kimono she turned to where the girl ran and chased after. "Kagome… Kagome!" she yelled out, widening her strides. Kagura reached out and grabbed the tail of Kagome's obi, and she pulled with all her strength.

The two women ended up tumbling over each other on the secluded sidewalk, catching their breath and in tears.

"Sesshomaru-kun…" Kagome kept crying out, "Sesshomaru-kun found out about our child, and he misunderstood… I have to tell him… I have to—"

Kagura's eyes instantly zeroed in on the bruises on Kagome's arms. She saw the rough grab marks on her wrist, and her eyes widened in alarm. Immediately it dawned on her what had happened, and she grabbed Kagome by the shoulders. "Are you that blind? Open your eyes! He's not here for reconciliation! He came here just to hurt you!"

"Non, that's not true… he was hurt, that's why he's—"

A crisp slap hit the heiress on the cheek. Kagome reeled back, as she stared at the furious woman before her.

"Him, him, him! It was always about him!" Kagura screamed, silencing the stunned heiress. "So what if he's hurt? That doesn't give him the right to hurt you back in that level!" Kagura tried to regulate her rapid breathing. "I listened to your story. Listened as objectively as I could. Kagome, he's a selfish narcissist… why would he keep you when he knew you were suffering?"

Kagome's silence prodded Kagura to continue.

"It was never about you. Never about both of you.

It was only about him.

He was suffering. He was torn. He couldn't choose between his ambition and you.

You on the other hand… you chose to stay even if he hurt you so many times.

Right now…" she gathered the heiress' bruised hands,

"Look at this. Is this the work of someone who loves you? Little girl… he may truly love you, but until he realizes that love is not a one-way street, it will never work out." She pulled away, looking at the girl- the child who was still so vulnerable in her arms.

"It will only be an endless cycle of tears."

It was then that Kagome finally broke down in Kagura's arms. The designer-student eagerly wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"You have to stop this, once and for all. Kagome… you have to see him as he really is. He is poison. And you don't deserve something so… destructive... in your life. Kagome, you deserve better."

She held Kagome in her arms.

"Stop your crying," Kagura said, wiping the streaks of tears on the girl's face. She stood up, tapped the heiress' cheek and smiled. "I slaved away on your face for hours and you obliterate it with one cry-session," she said as she straightened her posture. "Come on, little girl. We'll meet Naraku halfway and tell him there's no way I'd let you go back inside, the way you are now."

Kagome smiled despite herself, dusting her kimono and standing up. "What's wrong with how I look?"

"You look like a banshee, you idiot." Kagura stepped off of the brick pavement, onto the winding driveway leading to the mansion. She reached out for Kagome to take her hand,

And the heiress reached back. "Kagura-san, you and Naraku are a match made in—"

All of a sudden there was screech of grinding metal. A blinding flash… and Kagura froze as she spun around,

only to find herself inches from the light.

Every little sound in Kagome's surroundings, it faded into a deathly silence. The world suddenly shut down... her legs sprang towards her stunned friend.

A distant shout from a familiar voice filled her ears. The unnatural illumination swallowed Kagome whole- and she realized that the blinding light was from a swerving SUV, and the familiar voice belonged to her best friend, Naraku.

Kagome wrapped Kagura in a vice-like embrace.

A crushing blow like no other engulfed the heiress… it all happened in one blink of an eye.

* * *

The young doctor called his chauffeur and went straight to his hotel suite. He closed the door behind him, and he reached for the bottle of whiskey that had been lying on his suite. Drinking straight from the bottle, he allowed the familiar liquid burn against his throat.

"You fucking whore." He cursed under his breath, his hands shaking.

But flashes of her hold his best friend would intrude his mind,

How her pleading blue eyes instantly melted the rage in Naraku,

How the bastard held her as if she were the most fragile thing in the world.

With unchecked tears of frustration he leaned on the wall, trying so desperately to shake the memory away. He took another swig of the hard liquor, and he flung it on the counter.

It did not break, but it spilled all over the kitchen.

"You're with his child now," he cried out, pulling at his hair, grinding his teeth. And he sank to the floor, unable to take the overwhelming emotions. "Was I that easy to replace?!"

He did not know how long he lay there. But it was nothing new, he had been through this before… almost every night since she left him.

The memories of that night replayed over and over his tortured mind. And Sesshomaru only lay there crying.

He lifted his gaze to the wall of his suite, to where the light from the window hit. On the wall was the large-scale painting that they made together eleven years ago, the one with the Northern Lights.

He closed his eyes, exhausted.

"Even if you hurt me…" he whispered, "Gods, I still love you.

I need to… stop loving you…"

The buzz of the alcohol was slowly possessing him. And as his body slowly grew numb, and he spiraled down into the intoxicated coma he had grown to be familiar with.

* * *

"What… just happened…" the heiress could only whisper. She realized Naraku's heavy body was laying protectively on top of hers.

Kagura was at a distance, her bloody, broken hands twitching, reaching out to both of them.

And there was the smoking wreckage of a ruined van, just a few feet away.

The girl reeled back in utter horror, her numbed jaw dropping in shock. "Kagura… Kagura is—"

She felt some kind of heavy liquid dripping on her face, and she looked up and realized that it came from Naraku's head: he had shielded her from the brunt of the impact.

He was bleeding profusely. He shook his head, as a torrent of tears flooded from his eyes. "Kagura is…" he trailed off, unable to continue.

"Non…" she whimpered, recoiling into herself. "Mon Dieu… non…" She clutched at her abdomen, letting out a whimper. Blood started to gush until it was all a gruesome pool between her thighs. The heiress started clawing at her stomach like a wild animal, as if she were trying to grasp something invisible… something inside was disappearing. "Non… Mon Dieu, NON!"

Naraku's hold to her tightened, he crushed the hemorrhaging girl in his arms. "Louise… Louise,"

She shut her eyes tight. A nightmare… this was what it was… a nightmare! But a sudden cold washed over her body… the same cold she had felt, eleven years ago, when she was bleeding to death at the side of the road.

"This is not happening… Mon Dieu, this is not happening…"

Something soft brushed her cheek, and she opened his eyes. It was her best friend, gently wiping her tears away. He was growing alarmingly pale as the seconds ticked by. "Hey, just in case I don't make it, you better not blame yourself…"

"No… don't say things like that,"

"I promise in the next lifetime, I'll find you sooner. I swear I'll find you sooner, and I'll make sure nobody ever hurts you…"

"No… we only have this lifetime…

We only have _this_ ," she cried, unable to hold back her tears. Time was running out like sand in her palms… she had to stop it… she had to! "Don't you dare leave me, Naraku! Don't you dare—"

He smiled in pain. "Then I'll be watching over you, Louise. Maybe I'll get to meet your family. We'll watch over you together. But I can't really do anything from where I'll be, so you'll have to rely on yourself again."

"Shut up," she tried to shake her head but she couldn't, "Just shut up…shut up!"

"Hey, don't cry. Remember what I said yesterday? You're my soul mate… you hear that, Louise?" He was catching his breath, every word a renewed, heavier effort. "And because of that, we'll see each other again. Promise me you'll never change.

Until I… see you again."

He gasped for his last breath, just as how her father did before he left. Just as how her mother did. And the young heiress tried to feel for any movement.

No heartbeat, no rise and fall of his chest.

She closed her eyes, whispering a desperate plea.

 _**I've already been given a second chance… please, don't take them away._

 _Take me instead. I'll give anything for them to live…_

 _Take me this time…_

 _Please, just make them… live…**_

She hovered her weak hand over her spasming belly. The heiress closed her eyes, hoping in the deepest chambers of her soul for a miracle.

But when she opened them again,

she found herself alone in a hospital room. The ticking of the clock bounced against the corners. The wind that entered the open window was unusually cold, and in that instance, a profound heartache swallowed her like a wave, dragging her into a deep ocean of loneliness:

Her prayer was not granted.

She hung her head, and the young heiress,

once a mother,

now a mere girl, could only cast her head down and cry.

* * *

She found herself by the hospital's rooftop, on a wheelchair watching the bustle of the city at night. There was a certain bitterness that rose in her throat, a crushing feeling in her chest.

"The world…" she said, as her cousins stood quietly and closely by, "It carries on as if nothing happened."

Someone shifted from behind her and cleared his throat, trying to make his presence known. The four individuals nodded their heads and made way, but Kagome did not bother to turn around. She knew who that voice belonged to: Harada Shippo.

"His last will stated that should anything happen to him, all his assets be passed on to his fiancée." He started.

Kagome didn't attempt any other movement. Coming to the rooftop with a splinted and bandaged body was hard enough… And at the moment, money was one thing she did not want to talk about.

Shippo came closer until he stood beside her. His emerald eyes were distant as he stared at the city below. "But since his first beneficiary expired, it automatically goes to the next one on his list. You."

The heiress tore her gaze from the night lights. "Is it possible to keep the ownership of Onigumo holdings hidden from the public? At least for now,"

Shippo bowed his head. "It may be hard, but it is. I will look for a way."

"Thank you." She looked back, up at the night sky. "I can't possibly run that company by myself, as I have full responsibility of the operations of my family's business. I need you to revise the role of Naraku's board of executives to be similar to mine. You know the ropes of his company inside and out… I shall be appointing you as my vice president. But all decisions of the board should go through me for the final approval."

"As you wish."

"I will need a thorough and honest briefing from you of your company." Kagome heaved an exhausted breath.

"I will not disappoint you." The ever-loyal attorney said, as he gestured a polite bow and quietly left.

The heiress took moments to herself as she clutched the cold metal railing, and she hoisted herself up to stand. Her cousins Sango and Kouga immediately rushed to her side.

"I can manage," she whispered, as they eased off. The heiress closed her eyes and felt the cold evening breeze hit her face. " _T'es fou_ ," she muttered under her breath, "This is so unfair of you… leaving all this responsibility to me."

"Kagome," Sango stepped forward, but she motioned her to stop. She wiped her own tears away and fixed her gaze towards the night sky.

"It's my fault, " She said softly. "If I weren't so pathetic, running after him… we wouldn't be in that place at that hour-"

"Don't start blaming yourself," Kouga said, "The driver was drunk, he was speeding at 80 in a 15 mph zone, "

Kagome shook her head. "If I weren't such a weakling…" She grit out, tears streaking down her cheeks, her voice growing louder, angrier, "If I hadn't run away, If I didn't allow myself to be affected by that STUPID JERK—" The girl's hands slowly traveled to her belly,

"They would have been here." She whispered. "They would have been alive, and breathing…"

She broke down in tortured tears for what seemed like the hundredth time. But she did not care, and they did not care. Sango, Ayame, Kouga and Miroku all gathered her into a tight hug, and she melted into their embrace, desperately leaning on them for support.

"From now on, I'll never let anyone have power over me or my feelings…" Kagome started, pulling away. She stared at the night sky that was so full of stars… golden as the eyes of the man she loved, distant as his feelings and memories that she now held of him.

She remembered the boy he once was, the warmth of his hand, the innocence of his laugh… she recalled the man he became in New York, how his touch sent shivers down her spine, how he melted her defenses with the heat of his body.

Kagome took a deep breath, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, "You heard that, Taisho?!" she cried out, a torrent of tears streaking down her cheeks,

"I cut all the strings that bind us together…

I relinquish the hold that you have on me!

I'm going to breathe, I'm going to live, I'm not going to let you destroy me ever again!"

She allowed herself to rely on the warmth of her family, the one who had always been there for her through thick and thin.

And the image of a smiling, golden-eyed boy that she loved her whole life

started fading into the darkness.

"Never again."

* * *

He looked up to the board and searched for his flight number. He brought his gaze down contemplatively at the other item on his hand. It was a one-way ticket to South Africa. A volunteer mission with fellow doctors… a decision he had just finalized the other night.

He was transferring all responsibility of Taisho Hospitals back to his father.

With his growing problem with alcohol and trying to forget the traitor of a woman that consumed his life, the family had decided that he needed some time for himself to recover… somewhere far away. Just as the overhead pager announced his flight, his phone rang.

"Onii-san? Are you boarding?" It was Inuyasha.

"Yes."

"Have you seen the news?"

The ground crew was starting to usher first-class seating. Sesshomaru stood up.

"Onii-san, the fundraiser you attended four days ago… there was a fatal accident. Drunk driver… ran over three people…"

A terrible knot suddenly formed in Sesshomaru's stomach.

"The three people…

Naraku, his fiancée, and a friend. The two names weren't released,"

All blood seemed to drain from the young doctor's face.

"Onii-san… Naraku and his fiancee, they didn't survive,"

The hand holding the phone dropped limply at his side. Tears of shock ran down his cheeks, "Naraku… and his fiancée," Sesshomaru whispered, images of the blue-eyed Kagome instantly flooded in his memory. "Kagome… she's… gone?"

Ground personnel approached him, "Sir, were you boarding first class?"

He looked at the woman absently, distraught, confused.

"Sir, are you okay?"

"I…" he croaked absently. The overhead pager announced his name as the last passenger who needed to board.

Sesshomaru looked behind his shoulder for the last time, and he walked into the gate.

* * *

 _Four_ _Years Later_

* * *

"And I present to you the most aggressive Bear I have ever encountered." Shippo carefully placed a stack of papers on Naraku's mahogany desk. The swivel where his boss was seated had its back to him, and the person seated remained concealed, staring out to a breathtaking view of the city of Tokyo.

"Considering its dying reputation, it still has the gall to bare its teeth and make demands. The negotiations are finished, though. The Board wanted you to review this purchase for your approval. 80% ownership for this dying company, for 21 million US dollars."

The swivel shifted, his boss turned around.

A blue-eyed Kagome sat on what was once Naraku's chair, her posture ever-so-perfect as it had always been.

"21 million? Why so cheap? I'm beginning to feel pity towards this little _bear_ …"

"Tch. You don't have to. We're actually being very generous, Kagome-sama. Ever since the fraud scandal, their actual valuation was only at 10. But they're trying to sell it for more than its worth, that's why no one is buying."

The young woman smiled. "Well if the Board has already deliberated, and you have approved, I don't see why I should hold back—"

"The contract also states the retention of their employees and a certain _core_ _executive_."

The heiress calmly sipped her tea. "Alors, is that an issue I should be concerned about?"

Shippo's emerald eyes darkened in hue. "I suggest you take a look at their portfolio first."

Kagome reached out and started flipping through the binder.

"This family-owned hospital network that we are acquiring had its shares of ups and downs… only until four years ago when the management was turned over to the patriarch did it start to tank." Shippo started.

He watched as his boss' blue eyes lit up in a confused recognition.

"Only two years ago, four of their hospitals were involved in the Medicare fraud scandal. The company put the blame on second-tier management. The director was asked to pay millions worth of fines out of pocket. surely a business as big as this would have no problems, right? That's when it all fell down."

Kagome stopped at a certain page, and she stared at it for long moments.

"Turned out the patriarch had a massive gambling problem… and he had loaned away most of his stocks in interest.

That is the 21 million that we are paying. We're basically buying off their debt in exchange for ownership."

"Harada," Kagome said, her calm expression hardly changing, "Why does this company portfolio look oddly familiar?"

Shippo took in a deep breath. "That's because we're buying the Taisho Hospital Network."

A quiet pause filled the large suite.

"Hm," Kagome exclaimed softly.

"That certain core person they want to retain as a board member... is Sesshomaru Taisho..." Shippo said, waiting for a reaction. But it did not come. "The director told me he's not yet back from South Africa from a mission, but he was told and is aware of the sale. But he has no idea who won the bid for their company, I'm sure if he finds out that it's Onigumo holdings he'll—" Shippo paused when he heard a soft chuckle.

"Harada, you think I would care about his precious feelings?"

The lawyer remained silent.

"Thought so. And neither should you. Were running a multi-million dollar operation, not some petty street stall—"

"I'm not worried about him." He admitted. "I'm worried about you."

"I appreciate your concern." She leaned back on her chair, "But frankly, whether that man is in the equation or not, _J'en ai rien à foutre_. Rarely does the board reach a unanimous decision." With one last look to her vice-president, she gave him a calm, reassuring smile.

"Shippo, it's not like I have to deal with him every day. He will be under my leadership, and you are second in the chain of command. He will simply have to communicate through you."

"Kagome,"

"We're all adults here…" she said, shrugging her elegant shoulders, "Surely at some point in the four years, we've learned to move on to some extent, hmmm?" With one swift move, she deposited her priceless signature on the last page of the binder. "Ah, see? It wasn't as hard as you thought it would be, _Mon petit renard_."

"I…" the lawyer stepped back, running his hand on his hair. He burst into a short laughter, "I can't believe you."

Her calm, nonchalant smile, her rather slight annoyance from his prodding, it suddenly reminded him of his late boss Naraku: reticent, _ruthless_. He couldn't have chosen anyone else more fitting to be his heir.

"Are you planning something?" Shippo said out of curiosity.

"Planning something? Why would I? There's nothing special about it, _non_?" Her beautiful face turned into a slight grimace, "There's nothing special about that man, either."

The lawyer paused and recalled his long talk yesterday with his colleague, Sango… and it seemed that his boss' family was not the slightest bit worried at the coming encounter.

Maybe the DuPont head had moved on for good?

Satisfied with her answer, Shippo gathered the documents and stepped back. "I will let the Board know that the purchase is finalized."

The young woman gave him a nod. The vice president bowed politely and he left the room, closing the door behind him. With the cup of warm tea still in her hands, Kagome turned the large swivel around, back to the beautiful view of Tokyo.

"Such a quiet evening…" she whispered softly.

She took another sip of her tea, her expression never changing, but her blue gaze growing distant, beyond the star-riddled night sky.

" _Bâtard sadique_. I still wish it was you sitting here,

not stupid little me."

The young woman quietly shifted, and she allowed the inevitable to happen. She was alone in the suite, after all: it had already been four years, yet she still cried whenever she remembered that wretched night.

But she had full responsibility of the family's business, and she had Naraku's company in her total control.

She vowed to never show her weaknesses to anyone else…

that was the last thing she would ever do.


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N:_ **I always treasure every kind feedback in my heart. Thanks for taking the time to read this story, and the other stories, too.

Flashback is, of course, _italicized_ paragraphs.

 _ **Faire la bise-**_ The act of greeting a person with a kiss. You lean in slightly, touch cheeks and make a light kissing sound with your lips.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12**_

 _Ghosts_

* * *

 _-Johannesburg, South Africa-_

5 minutes until closing time, and the rugged figure by the bar seemed to be oblivious to the screeching of the chairs that were being stacked behind him. A few customers lingered, some by the door, others helping their desperately drunk friends as they were too drunk themselves to be of any help.

The solitary figure, with striking white hair that was cut short but desperately needed a trim, had his attention fixated on the bottles of liquor in front of him.

The lady on the other corner leaned on the counter. "He a regular?" She murmured to the bartender

"He's here every night," the bartender said, his voice cautiously low. He didn't want anyone to find out he was talking behind his regular's back, the last thing he wanted was to lose customers.

"Don't you think he's had a lot to drink?"

The bartender shook his head. "High tolerance. First stepped into our bar four years ago, seen him every other night since."

"He hasn't found a lady?"

The bartender stopped wiping the tall glass on his hands. "Picks up some here and there. But he is a volatile one, I heard." He turned to the woman. She was giving him a suspicious look. "No aggressive behavior! Don't get me wrong. He's actually very courteous. Surprisingly well-bred, to be honest. Seems to be from high society… but I talked to his ex-wives. They said he's too unstable to hold a commitment." His voice dropped to a low whisper, "He's a train wreck. The poor man could never get over his dead girlfriend or something."

The woman pulled away, she started preening her little black dress. "Well, let's see how that plays out when he meets me." She plumped her lips and arched her back, making sure her posture accentuated her every curve. The bartender chuckled and shook his head in disbelief as the woman winked at him and started approaching the regular.

"Someone taking you home tonight?" She said, and the man turned to her. The woman gave him a coy smile.

Although the man was obviously out of shape and his face was hollowed out from exhaustion, his beautiful features were still prominent, and his eyes were a stunning gold.

"You look like you might need a ride." She leaned over so close, unmindful of the rough stubble that rubbed on her cheeks- clearly from his lack of grooming- "Your place or mine?" She whispered sultrily.

She splayed her hand on his chest, and she captured his lips.

It tasted so heavily of whiskey.

* * *

He lived in a high-rise apartment by the affluent district of Johannesburg, much to her delight. The neighborhood was well-known for its exclusivity, the wealthy and the influential mostly had access to the locality. Her steps were light and almost skipping in excitement when they entered the posh building. They were greeted by the fancily-dressed concierge, and she had to hide her smug smile: she hit the jackpot on this one.

They stepped into the roomy elevator, and she started nipping on his neck, she unbuttoned his branded long sleeve shirt.

With firm but gentle hands, he held her wrists, "Not here. There's a proper place for such later,"

She had to calm herself. What a gentleman!

The elevator stopped, they stepped out into the impeccably flawless hallway. He pulled out his keys, her hands were all over him. The door finally opened and she dragged him inside.

Their lips crashed against each other, his hands started moving on its own. She thought, what a good kisser! Never mind if they almost tripped from the clothes and beer bottles that were lying haphazardly on the floor. She caught a glance at the kitchen, piles and piles of dishes, boxes of pizza and takeout flooded the counter.

She shrugged off the mess, he was probably a rich brat who did not know how to clean, he probably relied on paid help and the cleaners were off for the week. He unbuttoned her blouse, she pulled his pants down.

She was taken aback at the sheer length, and girth, of his manhood.

With a smirk on her face she spread her legs open, pushing aside her panties. She braced her hands on the sides, preparing for him to enter.

But as she did, she knocked over something on the table.

"Shit!" He suddenly cursed, pulling away as if he had just touched acid.

The woman sat up to the corner of the couch, startled. He crouched on the floor, his shoulders slumped and shaking. "It's broken," he said as he rushed to the door to turn the light switch on.

"Hey," she said out of concern, but the reached out and flipped the switch. Brightness filled the room, and she stared in awe.

There were rows of open boxes filled with expensive-looking vases, ranging from paper-thin to heavy ceramic. Stacked on each other dangerously high, spanning the entire wall of the living room. Aside from the stowed deco, there was still a significant amount scattered all around the unkempt apartment, filling the counter, the table, the couch and the floor.

And a broken one was on his hands. The glass had cut through his skin and his palms were already bleeding, he was trying to salvage the fragments, distractedly trying to put them back together. "This was a _Georg Jensen,"_ he said desperately, "She would have loved it, she would have loved it…"

"What are you talking about?" The woman stood, pulling the edges of her open dress together.

"Kagome," he said, his blood dripping heavily on the marble countertop, "She loved flowers," he murmured, his bloodshot eyes glistening from looming tears, "And she's very good at Ikebana… my little doll would have loved this vase-"

It took minutes before his mad ranting clicked in the girl's head, and the bartender's warning about the golden-eyed man's dead girlfriend popped into her mind. She backed away in horror.

"You're crazy," she muttered, zipping her dress back, picking up her stilettos from the floor. "I'm leaving." Without any word she bolted out of the door, creeped out.

The golden-eyed man did not even seem to notice, he was too fixated on the broken glass in his hands, unable to bring the fragments back together,

Unable to bring his life back together.

He held the shards tighter, unmindful of the cuts that only sank deeper on his palm. And he wiped his tears with his bloody hands. It smeared unsightly red on his face, it stained his snow-white hair. But he didn't even bother to clean the mess off.

Four years had passed.

His life in fragments, just like the broken vase in his hands. And it only seemed to shatter even more as time passed by…

He never thought he would find himself alone in another continent, broke and exhausted. His medical license was suspended six months ago from his uncontrolled alcoholism. His family had just lost ownership of the multi-million dollar company they so struggled to keep.

He was a drunk, unemployed 26-year-old man with a bulging beer belly who looked twenty years older than his age. He was two times divorced, his longest marriage lasting only four months. The first one lasted two. And here he was, sprawled on a dirty kitchen floor, surrounded by his useless vase collection, around empty bottles of liquor and spoiled take-out.

The worst thing was, his broken life did not matter at the moment. What mattered was the shattered vase in his hands, a metaphor of the beautiful life he once had, one that never was to happen again.

"I should have chosen you, and not my stupid pride," he sobbed, his pathetic, inebriated tears streaked shamelessly down his unshaven face. He remembered her cries during the night of the fundraiser.

Even though she was carrying Naraku's child, the moment their eyes met she immediately crumbled- she reached out to him- so eager to run back into his embrace.

 _*"Mon Cherie, it was only you, it has only been you!"*_

"Four years of this hell…" he rested his head on the wood, "And it's still you." He closed his eyes, lulled by the buzz of alcohol, subdued by painful memories of her soft, willing body pressed close to his. "Its fucking only been you." He breathed out, exhausted. "Kagome, are you watching over me from heaven?" he stared at the fragments in his bloodied hand, his eyes burning and blurry from miserable tears that had never seemed to dry. "Pathetic, aren't I…

Just fucking pathetic."

He shook his head and released the broken glass, it fell like fragile crystals to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his knees, and he cried himself to sleep.

* * *

When the red-haired lawyer walked into the open apartment that morning, he did not expect the sight that met his eyes.

For a second he thought he stepped into the wrong residence. He checked his phone, double checked the apartment number on the side of the door. But everything appeared exactly as it was supposed to be, and he was supposed to be in the residence of their new business partner.

 _He paused, a frown already etched on his usually mastered poker face. When he approached, he was greeted by a flawlessly groomed concierge. As expected, this was one of the most expensive apartments in Johannesburg. Anything less would be a blemish, or else their influential tenants would have paid millions for their apartments for nothing._

" _I'm here to see one of your residents. His name is Sesshomaru Taisho." His shoulders were prim and his back was straight. "My name/e is Shippo Harada," He tilted his chin up, quite annoyed at the situation. "We agreed to meet today in your lounge," he tried to explain, "I've been waiting for four hours in your conference room, he hasn't shown up."_

 _The concierge paused as he reviewed his ledger. "My apologies."_

" _Did he leave the premises this morning?" Shippo said, his lips curled down in disbelief. Was this really the 'rising giant' that he read about four years ago in GQ magazine? The article mentioned the young General Practitioner's perfect business etiquette._

 _Whoever wrote that section probably lived in an alternate universe, or was as high as fuck as he typed the entry on his computer._

 _He had sent an e-mail a week earlier to the Taisho executive, stating his time and date of arrival. He received a reply three days later, stating he could meet him today. And now he was waiting like a sitting duck, feeling stupid and insulted at the executive's unprofessionalism._

" _It doesn't seem like he checked out," the concierge said, as he lifted his phone. "He's not answering his home phone…" He put the phone down and cleared his throat. He bowed down, "He might be… resting right now."_

" _Resting?" Shippo exclaimed in incredulity._

 _He had made his research before coming to Johannesburg, he should have expected this. He knew about his future business partner's suspended professional license, and he knew it was from a heavy drinking problem. He knew about the failed month-long marriages, that right now there was no stable income, that he was relying on his dwindling trust fund and his police brother's monthly support._

 _Of course he would know, as the Chief Legal Officer and acting Vice-President of their Board of Directors, he had to find out every little detail of this already controversial incoming executive member._

With his silver tongue he was able to talk the concierge into allowing him to check on the doctor in his room. And as he invited himself in the open doorway, he could barely hold his disapproval.

The apartment was a sordid mess.

There were open boxes with something inside set on the wall, empty liquor bottles scattered on the floor, used take-out boxes heaping on the table, and vases, literally hundreds of vases on every fillable surface.

He almost knocked over one on the side table. There was a sudden shuffling from the kitchen, and a man appeared, looking to be on his late thirties, lumbering out of the counter like someone who had just woken up at eleven in the morning with a bad hangover-

Which was exactly what he seemed to be.

Shippo had to squint, unsure of what he was seeing. He really must have stepped in the wrong residence. But the man raised his gaze and their eyes met.

White hair, golden eyes.

To say the lawyer was literally taken aback was an understatement. "Mister Taisho? Sesshomaru Taisho?"

The man held the side of his head and closed his eyes. The lawyer was right about that hangover, and it looked like a nasty one at that.

"Yes," the doctor's voice came out hoarse. His breath reeked of alcohol, it was absolutely discouraging. "Who are you? What are you doing in my apartment?"

The redhead's frown only worsened. "We planned to meet today, we were to fly this morning to Tokyo, where we could discuss the details of our contract."

The doctor clenched his jaw and cursed at himself. "Shit…" He brought his gaze back at the impeccably dressed man before him, "Are you Vice President Harada? My sincerest apologies… last night, I got... terribly distracted last night," His left hand shot out, he shook the CLO's hand firmly.

Shippo shook back and released, stealing a glance at the man's hand. It held deep cuts, dried blood had stuck to his skin. His lips pursed in a tight line. "I'm sure you did."

"D-did we miss our flight?" Sesshomaru stuttered as he raked his hands nervously on his short hair.

"No. We are flying private. Did you even read the e-mail I sent you?" The sheer dislike was heavily leaking in the lawyer's voice, the once confident young doctor cast his head down, meekly avoiding the redhead's barely suppressed glare. "I think I did," the doctor answered, "Excuse me for a few minutes while I finish packing," he started gathering the odd collection of vases and stacked them inside more boxes. "Just give me thirty minutes and I'll be ready."

"Where are your bags?"

"Right there," he pointed to a worn-out orange gym bag, the tag had a handwritten "S&K" on the surface.

The lawyer's brow raised, "Only that? You are aware that the company requires you to move permanently to Japan, right?"

"Of course… I didn't miss that. That's why I had everything else packed," the doctor looked to his side and motioned to the endless boxes of vases behind him. "I hope you brought help with you."

* * *

 _-Tokyo, Japan-_

The drumming of the rain on her umbrella was quite soothing, the silence of the atmosphere was severe. She looked around, her blue eyes iridescent in the dim of the somber afternoon, and she knelt down on the smooth slab of stone before her.

Her elaborate kimono soaked up the water that had been pooling on the earth. She put the small floral arrangement aside, and she tilted her umbrella, just a little sideways, so she could glance at the bouquets she had set down, her courtesy to the two other graves beside her.

She looked at the familiar names etched on the marble stones, and she brought her gaze back to the one before her.

Then intricately-clothed young woman settled her open umbrella on the ground, and she allowed the rain to fall on her still form.

Soaked, from her carefully done hair, falling in torrents on her eerily calm face. Her shoulders shook just a little, it might have been just a shiver from the cold that was seeping into the layers of her silk… but her shoulders shook yet again,

Until her whole body trembled. With that same inscrutable expression on her beautiful face, the refined woman looked up, past the canopy of the Magnolias that did nothing to shield her from the downpour, up to the raincloud-riddled heavens.

And she allowed her eyes to betray her, just for now,

because she knew she was alone.

Her phone rang from her little clutch, and she had to tear her attention away from the sky and she brought it to the incessant ringing.

"Bonjour," she said, her voice never betraying her. That collected nonchalance, that airy sweetness. But it now held a melancholic lilt that was never once there.

"Miss DuPont, Harada called. He said there would be a few hours delay at the new executive's arrival. Something unexpected, he said. He's asking if we could postpone the induction until tomorrow."

"No. I'm already set for tomorrow." She shifted her gaze, she gently ran her hands on the pink _Camellias_ before her. "I'm sorry. Should it have been any other day I could have compromised.

How about instead of this afternoon we do it tonight? The company has arranged a welcome dinner for that new Board Member, anyway. We'll just hold the induction then."

"As always, your counsel is impeccable."

"See you tonight, Souten."

* * *

Half of the 18-hour flight Sesshomaru spent asleep. He woke up, a little disoriented of place until he realized he was on a private long-range jet back to Tokyo. He lumbered out of the roomy cabin and out to the lounge, battling a little jet lag and some turbulence.

He paused when his eyes met the figure of the Vice President, legs crossed casually, with a MacBook sitting on his lap and a cup of coffee on his hand. The austere lawyer drifted his gaze to the white-haired doctor.

Sesshomaru poured himself a glass of whiskey.

"Don't you think it's too early for that poison?" Shippo said.

"I start to get the shakes if I go over six hours without it," Sesshomaru admitted.

"Hn. I never knew it was that bad." The lawyer answered, almost monotonously.

The doctor would have looked at him to verify, but he was too ashamed. He knew there was yet another judgemental look on his superior's face, just like the many others. He took a swig of the hard liquor in attempts to drown his shame.

It only elicited another chuckle from beside him.

"I never knew," Sesshomaru tried to steer the attention away from his addiction, "That the company that bought our hospital network… was an aviation business. I don't know anything about it, not even the name. For some reason, father thought he would withhold the information until our actual meeting."

Shippo looked away and brought his focus back on his laptop. "Since our new CEO took over, we have expanded successfully from our aircraft manufacturing venture. We now hold a good footing in the banking industry.

Our company is the second of the two businesses our CEO has in her complete ownership."

"Two?"

"Seems like a small number," Shippo said, his frown never really alleviating. He held this… annoyed… look in his face, whenever he looked at the exhausted man. "But the two companies she owns are behemoths. Especially her first one, the one she inherited from her family."

She has her hands full… and to think that she has to build back your Hospital Network's reputation from rubble." He threw him a curious look.

Sesshomaru fell into silence, he tried to shrug away the dark detest on the lawyer's face. "Harada," he suddenly said, "Your name sounds familiar."

Shippo settled his coffee on the side table, he closed his laptop and laid it on the empty seat beside him. "There could be two possibilities for that, Taisho-san." He leaned on his chair, lax in motion, but the expression of his face still held that curiously dour, annoyed glare.

It was hard to hold eye contact, it was impressively obvious: the lawyer seemed to _hate_ him.

"The first possibility: you might have heard my name from one of your paramours back in the day.

Rin Takeda.

I was the one she dated in hiding when you both got engaged."

Shippo paused when the golden-eyed doctor stiffened, but he decided to continue anyway. "I liked her a lot," he chuckled, "But it was a good thing I wasn't invested in her too deep. I had to break off our… affair, as you could call it. I didn't want to be the dog begging for scraps on the feet of its master."

There was long silence that followed.

"The second possibility is that I have been appointed as the Chief Legal Officer of this business, ever since it was founded by its first owner."

The silence was deliciously satisfying. The lawyer almost felt guilty… almost, as he watched the color drain away from the man's face. Shippo clenched his jaw just to restrain himself from gloating…

"In case you don't know, this company that bought your family's floundering business is Onigumo holdings, formerly known as Onigumo Corporation."

"Onigumo… corporation…" Sesshomaru echoed very quietly, very slowly, in utter disbelief.

"Who took over…?"

"Taisho-san, before we go to the headquarters… there is a place that I need to drop by.

I need to make a courtesy visit, so to speak, to some dear old friends of mine. Will you spare some of your extra time to accompany me there?"

* * *

The rain had not stopped, the sun had long set hours ago. The black limousine pulled over to the entrance of the upscale French restaurant, it was reserved exclusively for this occasion.

There was not much traffic at the valet. The dinner event was labeled as strictly business, hence no gala-like introductions, no family members or escorts. The members of the Board of Directors had already settled down inside and started preliminary briefing in lieu of the announcement that the main guest would arrive late.

The door of the limousine opened and out stepped the golden-eyed man. He was immediately greeted by a dark-haired lady executive, she shielded him from the downpour with a large black umbrella. "Taisho-san? I'm Raiju Souten, HR director. Let me be the first to welcome you back to Tokyo. How was your flight?" She extended an eager hand towards him.

The doctor accepted the greeting. But his handshake was weak, the dark circles on his eyes were now heavily prominent.

If he looked exhausted then, he certainly looked exhausted now… especially after their visit… to Shippo Harada's 'dear old friends.'

 _*The golden-eyed man looked around, quite appalled. The lawyer had brought him into the most unlikely place imaginable,_

 _Into a final resting place, the cemetery._

 _Under the middle of the torrent, in the dark of early evening, the golden color of the sidewalk lamp diffused brightly on the highly reflective, pooling wet surface of the brick walkway. They reached the exclusive part of the lot, they stepped off the brick pathway and on to the trimmed grass. They stopped in front of three grave markers._

 _It was hard to read off the etching. "Makoto Taisho," Sesshomaru said, frowning. The last name was his, but he could never recall a relative named as such. Still, a twisting feeling started to form at the pit of his stomach. It churned in his guts, it caught on his throat. "Harada, am I… supposed to know this person?"_

 _Under the somber lamplight, in the dim of the gloomy dusk, Shippo stared balefully at the first gravestone. "After Akihiko Taisho's murder trial, his son Makoto was advised by a very wise, and very young acquaintance of his, to change his legal name._

 _He followed that advise._

 _Ten years after, he sought this… acquaintance. To thank her of her counsel, to repay her for her selfless kindness. She gave him a second chance in life, even if his father took her most precious family away from her._

 _And in the very short time they spent together, they became the closest of friends."**_

The door opened before him. Businessmen in suits, women in formal attire. They met his gaze, and he stepped inside.

"Is this the new board member?" The whispers were crisp and clear. The tense situation would have shaken any man, but not him. Not now.

He was too distracted to think about anything else.

**" _Kagura Kaze," Sesshomaru read off from the second grave. He was still too shaken by the first revelation, he had barely even recovered from the shock. But Harada was merciless, and it showed on his cold, hardened expression, it leaked in the stiffness of his voice._

" _She was a senior of Clothing Design in Tokyo University, was awarded Best Design and the most Promising Designer in the institute's international competition. She and Makoto, whom we know as Naraku, met in one of the competitions. He was one of the judges in the Traditional Category._

 _They were inseparable since then. He proposed to her, the night before the accident. They were supposed to wed the week after… a private affair with his closest friends as witnesses in a little island in Italy."**_

The unfamiliar men and women flocked around him, eager to shake his hand, keen in making their introductions and first impressions. But everything seemed like a blur.

For Sesshomaru, he felt as if he were walking… and breathing… underwater.

It was impossible to comprehend. It was too hard to think.

Especially now.

 _**The tears had started, and it never stopped. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand but it did no good._

 _He couldn't dare read the last name on the third gravestone. Everything was a blur, every breath he took was a painful stab of guilt. And every thought was his last heinous words to the only woman he loved, and it turned out, loved him back, and remained faithful to him, despite all that was said and done._

" _Hakudoshi...DuPont…Taisho?" he murmured, falling on his knees. It wasn't what he had expected. It was not Kagome's name._

 _But his fingers brushed soft petals by the ground…a vase of pink carnations._ _A symbolism of longing. And it held the most beautiful arrangement that only a master in Ikebana could execute._

 _It was then that the world dimmed around him, and everything else came crashing through.*_

"I never anticipated this hour," The painfully familiar voice said, "But Alors, here we are again.

Everyone, I would like to introduce to you a childhood acquaintance of mine," she said.

It took all of his willpower not to crumble in front of these strangers. It took all of his willpower not to crumble in front of her.

 _**Shippo retained his calm, but the hatred in his voice, it never subsided. "Days before the accident, Naraku approached me and asserted. The only person he considered as family… a man named Sesshomaru Taisho… turned his back on him and denounced him as his friend. And so he decided to change his beneficiary. Next in line to his fiancée Kagura, was his best friend and long-time acquaintance, Kagome._

 _He said that she had gone through too much, and he hated burdening her with yet another heavy responsibility. But she was the only other person he trusted with his life, if his cousin wouldn't have been there._

 _The night of Makoto's funeral was the hardest._

 _It was about the time when his only living beneficiary had awakened from what she thought was a nightmare._

 _Her best friend and his fiancée, gone. And the child she had been carrying for so carefully in her womb, the child she had been singing lullabies to for four months… gone._

 _Taisho-san, I have never experienced such heartbreak in my life. And what I saw in that nineteen-year-old girl's eyes that night, when I had to hand her yet another responsibility…_

 _I wish … in the deepest recesses of my soul…_

 _That I never get to walk through her shoes, ever… not in this lifetime, or the next. If there ever is any."**_

"A pleasant evening to everyone, and we profusely apologize for the wait." Shippo stepped forward. He nodded his head, cueing a certain someone.

And that certain someone emerged from the crowd, the owner of that familiar voice, the only traditionally-clothed form in the sea of modern-clad businessmen. She was more beautiful than ever before, her painfully blue eyes held a deeper, richer hue, and her smile was warm and courteous as she stepped forward and tiptoed up, giving him a casual _Faire la bise._

"Nice to see you again, Taisho-san," she said as she pulled away from her greeting, "On behalf of Onigumo Holdings, we welcome you to our company." Then she bowed down, ever so politely, as the other higher-ranking businessmen and women followed her lead. "Please take good care of us. We will try, with all our best, to take good care of you."

"Taisho-san," Shippo said, with all his pride,

"I would like to formally introduce you to the CEO and Chairman of the Board.

Meet your new boss,

Louise Kagome Higurashi-DuPont."


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N:**_ Yes, this story was intended to make you feel miserable and angry. So it's a success in my part? :D

If you decide to stay then thanks.

As I will say again, this will kind of be a slow burn. Sorry.

But to give you hope, and I will only mention this once, this story might be about the complexity, and beauty, of starting all over again.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13**_

 _Strangers_

* * *

 _ **-Three Years Ago,**_

 _ **Tokyo Hospital-**_

" _Such a bummer, isn't it?" The broken girl wiped her tears on the back of her hand like a child._

 _Sango, for the most part, could only look away from the girl sitting across her. It was her cousin Kagome's first week of inpatient treatment, she knew that adjusting in a highly different, extremely controlled environment would be difficult. But the signs of her heiress cousin slipping back into the cracks of severe depression were showing, and the family had to bring her here, else she fall back into that catatonic state she had been in when she was seven years old._

" _I'm sorry, Sango… Please, just… allow me to be this way,_

 _Just…_

 _Please."_

 _The blue-eyed heiress broke down and buried her face on the palm of her hands, shaking her head in embarrassment._

 _The tears would not cease to fall._

 _The cries of heartbreak were too much to bear, Sango wished she could have just been numb, even for a second, just to endure this._

 _But here she was, in front of her vulnerable cousin, trying to relay more heartbreaking news. The lawyer wished it would have been someone else._

 _But the headstrong Kouga refused to be the messenger._

 _Ayame and Miroku just fell into silence._

 _Who else should do it?_

 _It had to be done._

" _I promised not to cry over him anymore, I promised over their graves…" Kagome sobbed, "But please… just, until I completely recover,_

 _I haven't completely recovered."_

 _Little Haku's death certificate needed a father's name. And it would only be right to put Sesshomaru Taisho in it, who else should be?_

 _Everything had been arranged, the process should have gone smoothly. But there was one crucial step that needed to be done: notify the legal father of his loss._

 _It was not necessary, but didn't he have the right to know?_

 _Because Kagome was admitted into a rehab facility for three weeks, the rest of the family just tried to take on the task themselves._

 _But they found that Sesshomaru was out of the country for a mission in South Africa._

 _And he had just married his colleague,_

 _And they were off on leave, spending their one-week honeymoon in Paris._

" _Do you want me to tell him about Haku?" Sango said, finally raising her gaze to the forlorn girl._

 _Kagome still had her face buried in her hands, "Alors, he accused me of 'moving on', when he was the one who never looked back…"_

" _Kagome, do you want me to tell him about Haku?"_

" _He didn't come and visit me in the hospital,_

 _Never even a call when the news broke…_

 _I thought, from all the loss, he would be here to at least give me condolence," Kagome sobbed._

" _Kagome," Sango reached out and took her hands,_

" _Don't tell him," Kagome finally said, her words barely audible from her stifled cries, "He's living his dream as he wants, who am I to ruin a happy life?" And the young woman looked up to her, her eyes red and raw from all the crying, "Sango, for all this time my world revolved around him…_

 _And time and time again has proved he never even cared._

 _I was nothing to him, I just deluded myself into thinking I was._

 _I can't do this anymore, there must be another way to live._

 _Mon Dieux… there must be a way out of this hell…"_

 _Her lawyer cousin rose from her position. She walked around the table and trapped the crying girl in her arms. "There is, I know it looks impossible, but there is._

 _We'll find a way, Gome-chan,_

 _Please don't ever lose hope._

 _We'll never let go of you…_

 _That is one promise you can forever count on."_

 _The girl melted in her arms._

 _Something shifted from behind them, and Sango tilted her head to see._

" _We thought you needed back-up," a familiar voice said. Kouga was there, with Ayame and Miroku, and the old Kaede, "Looks like you already broke the news though,"_

 _They strode forward and embraced the girl._

" _I can't do this on my own," Kagome whispered._

" _You don't have to. We're all here."_

* * *

He stared at the painfully familiar woman that bowed before him, and he couldn't believe, in overwhelming heartbreak, how distant she now seemed.

Far from the sweet girl who followed him around with pleading eyes, the young woman recovered from her bow and smiled so very casually at him,

As if she were a pleased acquaintance,

As if they never shared a past.

"Taisho-san," she said, "Glad to see you made it tonight. How was your flight?" she made a slight step backward to establish distance, the rest of the people in the room lowered their heads, following her lead. She was the alpha in the room full of high-ranking people, "Taisho-san," she said again when he didn't answer. And the formality sounded very weird, coming from lips he used to kiss and dominate,

 _*"Sesshomaru-kun," She would say as she climbed onto him, with only his button-up shirt covering her warm body, "Did you have a rough day?"*_

"Taisho-san." A firm male voice cut his trance. Shippo had his arm on his shoulder, "Is everything alright?"

The golden-eyed doctor stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. "I-" Sesshomaru started, stuttering, "I-"

Cruel.

Fate was cruel, time was cruel.

And Sesshomaru stood there, unable to move his faculties, utterly overwhelmed with emotion.

The guests were staring.

The ruthless corporate lawyer was gloating, a vengeful smile curving secretly on his lips.

But there was no comfort of alcohol to numb this… emotion…

And the world started to dim and cave in around him. He couldn't handle it.

He reeled back, losing his footing. He mumbled incoherently, he staggered and was about to fall back.

But before he was to fall and make an utter fool of himself, a gentle hand steadied the small of his back. That little tap instantly spread a warmth that reached deep in his consciousness,

Not from anyone, in the four years past, did he feel genuine concern, a real human connection. His ex-wives dealt him anger and frustration. Inuyasha and his family, although they were giving him monthly monetary support, had distanced themselves because of his addiction.

That one single touch brought him back from the void he was falling in, and he turned to see who it was.

And he stared in disbelief at the little figure beside him, that one unexpected figure who had apparently run to his side in that most embarrassing moment.

"Taisho-san has been through a lot today," Kagome said, her touch was light and gentle as she withdrew her hand. She turned to the crowd, "This is my fault, I tried to push through with his induction. He might need some rest," she smiled apologetically at the guests.

"No such fault," one of the executives said, "Taisho-san, we'll see each other at the board meeting next week."

The rest of the executives nodded their heads in approval.

The golden-eyed doctor remained dumbfounded.

And the blue-eyed heiress, with an ever-so-pleasant smile plastered on her beautiful, tranquil face, gently tugged at Sesshomaru's arm to lead him outside.

"Kagome-" Shippo started, but she raised her hand to halt him, and he did indeed stop. She turned to the Vice-President and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be alright, Harada."

The intense hatred in Shippo's eyes melted into a quiet resignation. With one cleansing breath, he turned to entertain the guests who had started with their usual chatter as dinner had started to be served.

* * *

The rain had not stopped, it only grew stronger when she walked him out of the building.

He did not notice she had opened an umbrella to shield them from the downpour.

He did not realize there was a limousine waiting for him with open doors, he didn't feel anything else when she gently pushed him inside and shut the door between them.

And he remained in stunned detachment as the vehicle started to pull away.

"Have a good rest, Taisho-san," She bowed slightly, very formally, "I duly apologize for the inconvenience."

The limousine started to drive away. He stared absently into nothing, unable to think, his mind stuck in a horrible trance.

It couldn't be her.

It couldn't be that sweet girl who wore oversized sweaters and slept on his bed, murmuring his name even in her dreams. It couldn't be that girl who pouted if he forgot to text her when he came home late…

It couldn't be that girl of four years ago, crying on the bathroom floor, clutching a positive pregnancy test and his crumpled, handwritten letter.

Flashbacks of their last night together burned into his thoughts,

 _*"How does it feel like to have everyone wrapped in your finger, you little harlot?"*_

 _*She clutched her heart and shook her head, "Mon Cheri, it was only you, it has only been you!"*_

 _*Sesshomaru-kun, this child is –"*_

 _*"I'm glad I got rid of you, you desperate whore."*_

The world came rushing back before him. There was something that finally snapped.

"Stop," he muttered, and the driver raised his eyes to the mirror, "Stop!" Sesshomaru finally said, and the driver slammed the breaks.

The golden-eyed doctor swung the door open. He ran into the downpour, never mind the chill of the night wind. Never mind he was getting drenched in the rain… he saw her small figure, under the protection of the umbrella, walking away.

"Kagome," He croaked, stumbling from the terrible headache that was starting from his alcohol withdrawals, "Kagome!"

She stopped, right under the lamp post, but she never turned.

He continued to run, his entire body starting to shake. All from the four years of grief and longing, and he reached out… she was just at arm's length—

"Please don't… touch me," she said, "I don't... like it."

It was as if he was doused with ice cold water. Suddenly his chest tightened, it was getting hard to breathe. "What…" he could only mutter, and Kami only knows how hard he tried to control his shaking hands from reaching out to her- she was just an arm's length away!

He clenched his jaw and curled his fist, and he punched the lamp post beside them, unable to restrain his frustration.

Bathed under the nostalgic golden light, under the solemn drumming of the torrential rain, Kagome's kimono-clad figure stood quiet and still, like a little doll poised perfectly under a glass case. Never moving,

not even bothering to spare him a glance.

"Kagome," He hung his head in shame, unable to hold back his tears, "Kagome, I'm sorry…" he pleaded, but his heart sank when she took a step back further, "I'm so sorry…" he begged, wanting her to listen.

"Taisho-san," She started. Her voice, damn her voice… how he missed it, "It's already been four years. Haven't you moved on?"

That single sentence shattered him into a million pieces.

The doctor, drenched and miserable under the rain, fell to his knees.

"Stand up," she said softly, but she still didn't care to look at him. " _Je suis desole,_ but I don't have time for this."

He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but she didn't want to be touched. He reached out and tugged at the ends of her kimono, probably the most pathetic thing a man could have done… but he recalled the many times she did so to him, without shame, such a long time ago it seemed,

When she would beg him to stay with him, and not go out with his fake fiancee.

She sighed lightly. Kagome finally shifted:

"Five minutes," she said, and Sesshomaru looked up at her in confusion. She was as still and tranquil as the perfect little doll she had always been, "I'm giving you five minutes to listen to what you have to say.

I'll be catching a red-eye to Venice tonight. My schedule is tight, Taisho-san.

Five minutes."

"I thought you were dead," He choked out in panic, "The four years I thought you were dead…"

"You thought I was dead?" she made a light sound, was she laughing? "Alors, I was very much alive. What else, Taisho-san?

Four minutes."

He let go of her Kimono and scrambled for words. All the four years of yearning for her, how cruel… trying to condense it in such a short amount of time… the doctor clutched the side of his head, his hands were getting tremulous. Nausea started pushing his throat, he needed the relief of alcohol at that moment.

But she was in front of him, right in front of him!

For all the years he thought only of his safety and neglected her… he wouldn't dare allow that to happen,

Losing her again… letting her slip away-

"Three," she said quietly, calmly.

"I'm sorry," he clenched his hands tight in frustration, the downpour and his tears falling on his hands,

"Now I know the truth…

Kagome, when I lost you I realized that I loved you, more than I thought I did…" he squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment,

Two minutes, what else could he fucking say in two minutes? Her distance made her feel like a stranger, a mirage from the past that he could never have again…

One minute,

And all he could do was cry.

From their memories in New York, to that night at the fundraiser, the image of the two graves before him…

and the pink carnations laid before the name of his son.

The rain suddenly ceased, or so he thought, and he opened his weary eyes.

The downpour still fell, but he was under the shade of her umbrella. She came close and knelt before his hunched form, and she reached out and gently wiped the tears off his face.

"Stop crying," she said, softly, very tenderly,

He leaned on her hand, yearning for her contact.

Golden eyes connected with blue.

Gods, she was beautiful.

Even more beautiful, as the years passed by.

"It's been four years" she continued, "I'm sorry if you lived through guilt. But I want you to know I have forgiven you. It's not all you to blame, either. It was also me.

Taisho-san…

we were young, and stupid… and we thought we knew everything."

His eyes widened in alarm. He reached out to seize her comforting warmth.

But she slipped her hand away, "Alors, it's a lesson learned for both of us. Now the truth will help you move on,"

"I can't just…" he trailed off, realizing she was pulling away. He reached out for her but she shook her head, and it was as if heaven and hell had slammed him in between.

"You can," she said, "Trust me when I say it… because I did.

Taisho-san, I was able to move on,

even before I realized it."

She smiled at him, a friendly, casual smile, lacking the warmth, devoid of passion that she used to have only for him,

once upon a time.

Firm hands supported him to stand, Kagome acknowledged the presence of the limousine driver assisting the near-collapsed man.

Sesshomaru was losing control of his senses, as his withdrawals were kicking in full gear. He tried to contain it, he didn't want her to see.

"Can you make it to the car, Taisho-sama?" the driver said.

"He may need help," Kagome said as the diver assisted the limp doctor to the limo. "Ah, get well soon," She said, her brows meeting in friendly concern, "The company is looking forward to seeing you next week."

He grimaced in sheer torture,

She was too formal, too friendly…

"I love you," he could only murmur incoherently, "I still love you…" he wanted to tell her, but she was too far away to have heard.

The car door slammed before him, the limo sped off.

He found a bottle of whiskey that was displayed at the side, and he chugged it down as if it were his lifeline. With his fix of alcohol finally settling in his system, he sank deeper into his seat as the familiar buzz started sinking in.

"What have I done," he whispered, as he gathered his hair in his hands and cried. "How can I fix this…

You don't want me anymore,

What have I done."

* * *

She stared at the receding form of the limo, the rain heavy and drumming in her ears. Keeping her tranquil smile plastered on her face, she looked up at the dark sky, welcoming the raindrops on her face, she watched as it turned golden from the lamplight and whispered. "It's raining heavily in my mind…

Are you watching over me?

Did I do good?"

The clutch to her umbrella tightened, and her smile strained, just for a little bit, but she caught herself.

 _I know I shouldn't live with resentment,_

 _I was the one who told you that we only have one shot at this life…_

 _But Bâtard Sadique, are you testing my patience?_

She trembled a bit, again, whether if it was from the rain or from something entirely different it was hard to tell,

 _I can't help it,_

 _Mama… Haku… I don't want to feel it,_

 _But it sparks into life, whenever I lay eyes on him, whenever I hear his voice…_

 _This…_ _hatred_ _…_

 _It's starting to root within me._

She shook her head and let out a cleansing breath, she straightened her shoulders and regained her poise.

"Not anymore…" she whispered to herself, "Not even in anger, not anymore."

"Kagome?" Harada's familiar voice drifted into her consciousness. He approached her, ever so cautious,

And she turned to him, with a calmness on her face and the usual gentleness to her movement. He sighed in relief, "Did everything go well?"

"There was a little misunderstanding," she said, the shade of her blue eyes suddenly plunged richer, into a deeper emotion, "I hope he has found his closure." She sighed as she regained her pleasant mask, "Harada, did you make sure Taisho-san's accommodations are comfortable enough? It seemed like our guest was physically weathered down. He looks so different now, I barely even recognized him."

"Still so selfless," Shippo frowned in disbelief. "Sometimes I really can't believe you."

She smiled at him, and Shippo chuckled. Much like her best friend Onigumo, he could never read her thoughts. "Miroku gave me a call, he's waiting for you at the runway. You shouldn't miss your flight."

" _Merci_ ," she said as she bowed down, "I have a long weekend ahead of me."


	14. Chapter 14

**_A/N:_** I started this fic in the memory of _another_ fic that I read long ago from another anime pairing. It was so campy, so OVER-THE-TOP melodrama that I couldn't help but curl my toes and cringe. I hated it with a _passion_ , from the tips of my hairs to the ends of my toes because it was super ridiculous, but I couldn't stop reading it, LOL! So for those who think this has too much mid-day soap-opera telenovela-ish vibe, well, I'm not ashamed to say _this was kind of what I had in goal_.

Can't do it as good as them OGs, though. So I'll just settle for this. :)

On a side note, another character coming in! (yay!) But you'll know his sexual orientation just by his name… so…

AU, OOC. Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 14_**

 _Glass Case_

* * *

 _"_ _You can put the glassware by the counter, babe," His new bride paused, as she took a moment to stare at him in adoration._

 _He lifted the heavy box and settled it beside the coffee maker. He let out a huff of gratification, and turned back to the pile of boxes to finish his task when a pair of arms wrapped him in a tight embrace._

 _"_ _Can't believe we're really married," she said, burying her head on his chest. "I just feel bad that your family didn't get to attend the wedding,"_

 _"_ _It doesn't matter," Sesshomaru dipped down and sweetly planted a kiss on the crown of her head, "They don't matter. We'll prove Inuyasha wrong." He embraced the petite woman in his arms tighter, he ran his hands on her long, silky black hair._

 _They were wrong, Inuyasha was wrong. Although it disappointed him deeply, Sesshomaru thought back on his brother with contempt. Inuyasha scoffed at his new relationship, ridiculing his engagement with Minako, trying to discourage him with his decision._

 _He told him to think things over, marriage is not a commitment to take lightly._

 _He told him to stop using someone as a replacement for_ _ **her**_ _, because he would not only end up hurting Minako but ultimately hurt himself._

 _And the thought enraged Sesshomaru. He was not using Minako, he truly loved her!_

 _He held his arms tighter around the girl._

 _"_ _For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…" Minako said, breathless. She shifted and pulled slightly away to look at him, and she flashed her new husband a genuine smile._

 _Sesshomaru stiffened._

 _Looking back at him were not impossibly blue eyes…_

 _they were brown._

 _He pushed away roughly._

 _The girl Minako stood, befuddled at his sudden frustration._

 _"_ _I think I need a break," Sesshomaru said, approaching the kitchen counter, taking in panicked breaths. He paused, and he turned around._

 _Boxes and boxes, containing wedding gifts, new furniture, picture frames just delivered from his wedding,_

 _And a black-haired girl standing in the middle, looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to start their new life together._

 _A girl who was a stranger, a girl who was not_ _ **her.**_

 _Sesshomaru distractedly reached out for the freshly delivered bouquet of roses, he grabbed them and walked towards Minako. "I'm sorry, I'm just stressed out from everything, that's all."_

 _She tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the lips. "I understand. But you have to remember, babe… we're married now. Don't just… shut me out like that." She took the bouquet from his hands quietly and headed to the dining table. She unwrapped the paper, spreading the flowers on the surface._

 _With one harsh swoop, she dumped the flowers into a nearby glass vase._

 _"_ _Don't just dump them like that!" Sesshomaru finally snapped, "You could have at least filled that with tap water, Minako!"_

 _The woman's face immediately crossed into a frown. "For pete's sake, Sesshomaru, they're just flowers! What do you want me to do,_

 _Add some fucking ice to the water and talk to them gently as I ease them to their new home?!"_

 _His eyes flashed in restrained anger. His jaw clenched as he turned around, "She would have been more careful—"_

 _"_ _What did you say?" Minako pulled on his sleeve harshly, but he refused to look at her. "Sesshomaru!" she screamed,_

 _And she grabbed the vase and hurled it on the floor._

 _Sesshomaru finally turned._

 _The woman was crying. "I'm not HER! And I will never be HER!" She broke down on the floor, sobbing. "I thought we were clear about that, Sesshomaru._

 _We talked about that… before I married you…"_

He took a swig at his near-empty whiskey bottle, taking a pause as he savored the familiar burn in his throat that spread through his belly.

Sesshomaru looked around his new high-rise residential suite, the fancy bachelor pad his employer had provided. It was spacious, admittedly more luxurious than his New York penthouse back in the days.

Which made him think…

All this time,

That innocent little girl that he hid in his own little glass case four years ago

was that distant stranger that stood before him yesterday,

Her head held high, every word she uttered, carefully respected,

looked up to even with the most intimidating names in the business world,

and those cold, ruthless blue eyes…

Sesshomaru dumped the rest of the liquid in his throat and cringed from the afterburn. Throat raw from alcohol, eyes raw from tears, he shut his eyes.

But all he could see was _her,_ holding her umbrella, under the golden lamplight in that rainy night:

 _"_ _Please don't touch me. I don't… like it."_

He flung the whiskey bottle away, crawled to the nearby table and opened one more bottle and chugged the liquid down his throat, pushing, pushing down until he gagged…

Sesshomaru buried his face in his hands, his nails digging into his skin, refusing to open his eyes.

He'll worry about tomorrow later,

He just needed to make it through the night.

He tipped the bottle again, drowning himself until he couldn't feel anything.

This vicious, shameful cycle that estranged him from his family;

Even if he tried to claw his way out… even if he cried for help,

He could never seem to escape.

* * *

"You need a vacation," Miroku said as he sank on the couch. There was a pale color to his lips, his brows were drawn together they could have just merged into one.

The blue-eyed heiress giggled, as she covered her smile with the sleeve of her kimono to contain her amusement. "You need a breather." She answered.

Miroku only gave her a sidelong glare, as he resumed to his miserable sulking. "I told you I can't handle long-haul flights." He slapped his hand over his mouth and gagged. Kagome stood from her seat to assist him, but he raised his hand, motioning for her to stop. "I'll be okay," he assured, "I just took my _Dramamine."_ He massaged the bridge of his nose and he opened his eyes, connecting with the heiress' blue. "Thank you for coming with me."

" _Je vous en prie,"_ she gave him a polite nod as she opened her laptop, "Anything for you and your beautiful family." She remained silent as she typed in her password and hit enter.

Immediately, a notification window popped up: 55 new messages. The heiress gave out a drawling sigh.

Miroku remained oblivious to his cousin-in-law's distress: he braced himself on the couch when turbulence hit again. "Ugghh. I hate flying. As I was saying, you need a vacation."

"Eh, and is this flight I am taking with you not considered one?" She said distractedly. She pored through her inbox. Contracts she had to sign from Munich and Beijing, thank-you letters from present and potential investors, she stopped when she came across the ominously titled "URGENT CONTRACT AMENDMENT." It came from a business partner in Onigumo Holdings.

Miroku chuckled. "Jetsetting to visit your cousin who is to be induced with labor in an overseas hospital, only to fly back the next evening is _not_ a vacation. Louise, do you even know what that word means?"

"Of course I know," she frowned as she clicked on the email to open. "I just don't think I need one."

 _"_ _Ms. Higurashi-DuPont,_

 _It's been a pleasure doing business with you, and our partnership has been nothing but productive. However, I would like to take our professional friendship to the next level. Formalities aside, I was hoping, not as an investor, but as a young bachelor to get to know about you more through dinner at—"_

Kagome immediately hit delete.

The man sighed from his chair and took a bottle of champagne from the nearby rack. He popped it open, and he poured it in a crystal glass, the liquid bubbling and fizzing as it filled up. "Yeah, sure. You didn't need one in the past four years."

"Merde, Miroku-kun. I take days off once in a while-"

"That's a totally different thing. I understand you have to keep yourself busy. But it's not healthy, Louise… especially at the context that _he_ came back." He stole a secret glance to the nonchalant boss, "For the past few years you have been nothing but a pillar of support for us.

Little by little you taught us to forgive,

And we finally did.

But what about you? We were too busy thinking about ourselves, we forgot you were the one suffering the most."

The blue-eyed woman leaned forward, she reached out and covered a warm hand over his. "Like I said a hundred times before,

I'm alright,

Don't worry about me."

She gave him a reassuring smile as she resumed her work. But as she pored through her inbox, a chat window popped up in the middle of her screen.

 ** _HaradaShippo: Kagome, how's the flight?_**

She smiled.

 ** _LKDupont: Going smoothly. Maybe catch a shut-eye before we arrive. I don't know about Miroku, though._**

 ** _HaradaShippo: Tell him to stop being such a baby._**

The woman stole a secret glance at her companion, who was as pale as bone on the couch. She hid her face behind her kimono sleeveand giggled.

 ** _HaradaShippo: Gome, about Sesshomaru…_**

Her smile immediately dropped.

 ** _HaradaShippo: He was asking for your personal contact. Your number, or your address,_**

Blue eyes instantly hardened. The soft, gentle curve of her lips turned harsh… and it slid downward…

Oh how the curve of her lips fell downward.

 ** _LKDupont: No._**

There was a long pause that followed.

 ** _HaradaShippo: He is part of the team now, he is bound to get a hold of your business email. Should I ask Ayame to screen your emails from him, too? Only if you allow it._**

Empty, blue eyes. Lacking warmth, missing a soul.

 ** _LKDupont: I give her my permission._**

 ** _HaradaShippo: What if it pertains about company matters?_**

 ** _LKDupont: Follow the chain of command, Harada._**

 ** _HaradaShippo: Understood. Have a safe trip, 'Gome._**

The Vice-President logged out, and the blue-eyed woman seemingly stiffened. She closed her eyes, her jaw clenched.

 _-In the middle of a crowded room full of strangers, waiting for her visitors as she underwent inpatient rehab for depression.-_

 _-Waking up in the middle of the night, crying and screaming, clutching her empty womb.-_

 _-In a quiet, gloomy afternoon, standing alone before three graves: "I relinquish his power over me," she whispered, reaching out and touching cold, lifeless stone, "Even in hatred… Never again…"-_

"HEY!" Miroku's loud yell jolted her to her senses. The woman blinked, and she looked at her cousin-in-law blankly. "You okay?" He asked worriedly.

She drew in a sharp breath. "Mon Dieu, the turbulence is horrible today." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"See! It's not just me." Miroku sank back to his seat.

Kagome shook her head and laughed softly, training back her eyes on her neglected inbox. There were more emails than when she first opened it, and her shoulders slumped in resignation.

But then a new one appeared,

On the very top of her inbox.

\- **_Subject: Paris sucked without you! -_**

Her blue eyes lit up. "Ah, an email from Mitsui-kun," There was an audible click, followed by a short silence. The email only had one line:

\- **_Can't wait to see you again. :( -_**

"Miroku-kun…" she said,

"You didn't tell me he was back from France."

* * *

He appeared at the sprawling entrance lobby, trying to accustom himself back into the corporate setting. It had been a while, after all, since he had been in a business suit.

The lady receptionists greeted him with a cordial smile, and he nodded in acknowledgment as he stepped towards the elevators. He pressed the button and waited patiently as the numbers lit up.

His head was throbbing from his hangover.

Sesshomaru took the chance to study his reflection in the mirror-like elevator doors. He straightened his necktie, smoothed down his hair. Making sure there wasn't anyone looking, he sucked in his belly in hopes that it would look smaller.

An audible ding, and the doors opened.

He stepped inside and pushed the 34th floor.

"Hold the door, please!" Someone called out as a hand shot between the closing doors, immediately re-opening them again.

A young, dark-haired man snuck in, and he settled himself beside Sesshomaru as the metal doors finally closed.

"Wow, 34th floor?" He said. The man gave him a sidelong glance and the cockiest grin. "You in the meeting with the soul suckers, huh?"

Sesshomaru's brow shot up.

"Headed there too," he said, "But only to drop off my reports to Harada. I don't think I ever saw you before. Who're you?"

Sesshomaru took a quick look at the man beside him. He had long, dark hair, he surprisingly as tall as himself, (he knew well enough that he was taller than the average male).

The man was lean and fit…

considerably good-looking,

more so compared to himself, who unfortunately looked twenty years older, even with a fresh shave and a clean suit.

The stranger had his chin tilted sideways, and he was sizing Sesshomaru with an arrogant authority it made him feel quite uneasy. "Done glaring at me?" the man said with a challenging smirk, never dropping his snobbish regard.

"I apologize, I-"

"We're good," He shrugged, as he reached out and offered his hand. "Mitsui Jakotsu, and you are?"

"Taisho Sesshomaru." He said, and for a moment, the man stiffened.

Jakotsu paused… and his lips suddenly curved upward, into a curious smirk. "Huh," he scoffed, until the smirk broke into a full-on grin. His hand swooped to take his hand as he shook it vigorously. "Taisho! Finally got to meet you! I was quite curious, you came with a lot of controversies, after all." Jakotsu released his hand and stepped back.

He did a sweeping look at the golden-eyed man, head to toe.

"Controversies?" Sesshomaru inquired.

Jakotsu only shrugged yet again, his nonchalant grin never leaving his face: "Well yeah, knowing about my Kagome's history with you-"

The elevator bell dinged, the metal doors opened. "See you when I see you, Taisho! Thrilled to have you on board." The man stepped out, not looking back.

Sesshomaru was left alone in the elevator, unable to move,

Frozen in his place.

* * *

The thought that came to him creeping, and it never really left him.

Sesshomaru tried to douse it cold, but instead, it gnawed on his alcohol-fried synapses, it gnawed on his mind to no end.

He tried to suppress his rising cravings. Normally it wouldn't be until at least six hours until he physically withdrew, but that certain thought, the one that never left him since the encounter at the elevator,

It troubled him to no end.

His head was still throbbing, his anxiety was through the roof.

He tried so hard not to reach out for the nearest wine glass that was set by the bar.

He tried to distract himself with his surroundings. He searched for a familiar face but quickly realized there was none. He looked at the list on his hands for a familiar name: it looked like Vice President Harada was expected to attend.

Harada did not come until halfway through the meeting. Everyone had expected that, he had to meet with a C-level executive of Onigumo holdings who had just brokered a multimillion-dollar deal in France. It was quite baffling, as the men and women talked and referenced unfamiliar clients and indexes, but when the Vice-President stepped in he apologized for the 'excluding culture', and asked everyone to introduce themselves.

Then the lawyer proceeded to give a lengthy overview of the history of their billion-dollar conglomerate, the Parent Company being the DuPont Corporation, the many multinational subsidiaries below it, how it merged with the Onigumo Company, the unfortunate accident that granted total acquisition, how it evolved into Onigumo holdings,

and their recent _project,_

which was their high-risk gamble of the bankrupt Taisho Hospital Network.

"As for the direction we are taking, the Board has been voting. But I want Miss Higurashi-DuPont to have the final say." Harada stood up and straightened his file of papers, "We will all know tomorrow when she comes back from the US. Thanks for sitting down through this brief history lesson," He directed a glance towards Sesshomaru, "I just wanted our new member to feel as welcome as possible."

The board voiced their approval. With the meeting at the end, some lingered to talk, most stepped outside to continue with their own business.

Shippo approached Sesshomaru, and like a true professional, shook his hand. "Again, welcome to the team, Taisho-san. Brace yourself, Kagome and the Board has a lot planned for you." He turned away to leave when Sesshomaru stopped him.

"Harada," he said, hesitating. "I have, I mean…" Sesshomaru stuttered.

Shippo tried to wind down, seeing the man's unrest. "What is it?"

"I just… I was wondering. Just how many people know about what happened between Kagome and me?"

There was a considerable pause.

"Not many," Shippo finally answered, his face etched into his trademark scowl. "In fact, I can say only a handful. We try to keep a professional environment, Taisho-san. We do not run a rumor mill-"

"I see." Sesshomaru said. "So the people who know-"

"Are of her closest circle," Shippo answered. "Taisho-san, please do not stress yourself over it. Kagome made it clear, she and the Board sees you as an asset, we strive to retain a professional relationship with all of our employees.

Whatever happened between you and her won't affect our treatment."

"I am not…" He trailed off, unable to continue. All he could think of, and it stuck in his mind like a broken video, replayed over and over again,

Was the image of the intimidating Mitsui Jakotsu and his cocky grin,

 _"_ _Well yeah, knowing about my Kagome's history with you-"_

Shippo patted his back casually and left, as he always did, perpetually in a hurry.

Sesshomaru dragged his feet towards the doors, his vision starting to flicker from the dumbass headache that was taking over… his mind… an impossible downpour.

The next thing he knew he was at his fancy new suite, on the floor, his MacBook on his lap, and his trusted liquor bottle in his hand.

Vodka was the alcohol of choice tonight, and he pushed the liquid into his gut, pushed until his world spun around him again.

He needed it to numb the fucking emotions away, the horrible, gut-burning churn in his stomach:

He couldn't dare himself to open the laptop,

Couldn't risk doing a simple image search,

Afraid of what he will find.

* * *

"How's the company treating you?" Inuyasha said through FaceTime, and he watched as his brother struggle with his necktie.

"Everyone has been professional," he turned to face him, "I would have to admit… it's a little daunting."

"It's a multinational company you're in now, not unlike our previous family-owned. Have they told you what your position will be? Are they going to make you an executive consultant?"

"I don't know," Sesshomaru said, staring at his untouched coffee. "Harada said that Kagome will make the announcements herself, today."

"Listen, Onii-san," Inuyasha hesitated, "Now that you have a stable… employment…"

"Of course," Sesshomaru looked down, almost in embarrassment, "You can stop sending me money. I'll pay you back… for everything…"

An awkward silence followed.

For the past four years, his younger brother had been secretly sending him a small amount, to pay for his food, his needs.

Kikyo did not know, his father was not aware.

They had asked Inuyasha to cut ties with him,

A bad influence for his children, a good for nothing alcoholic.

"Thank you for sticking around. Hey, if you have time, maybe we can hang out together for lunch,"

"I'm sorry, Onii-san," Inuyasha answered,

And Sesshomaru looked away. "I understand."

With that, the phone call ended.

* * *

He was lead to sit at the foot of the conference table, while the other board members sat at neutral space. As he waited for the meeting to start, there was a gentle tap to his shoulder, and he turned to the source. Harada leaned down and whispered, "Shit, you look like a train wreck." The Vice President looked at him with an ever-present scowl. "I need to talk to you after this meeting." Shippo straightened himself, and he headed towards his seat, the right hand that was closest to the _head_. Everyone else settled in until there were only two seats left:

The boss' chair, and the left one beside it.

There was a lull of hushed chatter.

Sesshomaru waited…

For her to step in.

"Yo," a hand tapped him on the shoulder, and Sesshomaru looked at the newcomer's way.

It was the dark-haired man he met at the elevator, Mitsui Jakotsu. He grinned down at him, but Sesshomaru never found the strength to grin back. He watched as Jakotsu shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly at his lack of response,

And he took a seat at the one beside _hers._

"Ah, I'm sorry for the wait," A painfully familiar voice said, and all eyes immediately fell on the kimono-clad woman who entered the room. "It was a sleepless weekend."

She brushed past him, not even sparing him a precious glance, and Sesshomaru shivered at her professionalism. She took a seat at the very head.

She looked at him, acknowledged his presence briefly. And just like that, she looked away.

He felt a certain _burn._ He didn't know… if it was showing in his face, gods, he hoped it didn't, but listening to her speak, it opened all the proverbial floodgates.

He watched her intently,

Her familiar face, that soft smile of contentment on her lips,

 _*Right now I want to ask you…_

 _But I am terrified… of what your answer will be.*_

"You will be able to perform such tasks, will you, Taisho-san?" An older Board Member asked, and Sesshomaru never really pulled away from his thoughts.

He distractedly nodded.

 _*Was this how you felt before?_

 _Was this what was going on your mind whenever I came home late at night,_

 _and you knew… that I was with another? *_

He recalled her forced smiles as she greeted him by the door, welcoming him home as if nothing happened.

 _*You never asked me, because you didn't want to get hurt, more than you already were._

 _And so you lie to yourself….*_

"Cut the guy some slack," The man named Mitsui said, and he leaned on his chair and grinned. "He's not a newbie, he was just under some hiatus. Of course he is capable. His portfolio is impressive.

The Hospital Network only went bankrupt when the leadership was turned over to his father.

Am I right, Taisho-san?"

Sesshomaru looked at him, and he looked at the beautiful doll beside him. She was looking at him expectantly, "Yes, if you put it that way." He managed.

She nodded in contentment, and she shifted her gaze elsewhere. Kagome then dipped her head down and covered her mouth with the sleeve of her Kimono,

And she yawned.

The man named Jakotsu suddenly excused himself and he stepped outside.

"I apologize, this is a big gamble we are making." The old man said, "I just have my worries."

"Nothing like a long-debated plan finally going into action," Harada said.

Kagome looked away and hid her face again, yawning. Shippo reached out to her and tapped her arm, she looked at him and mouthed the words, "I'm just tired."

Another lady executive spoke, but Sesshomaru didn't hear any of the conversations: Jakotsu came back with a cup of tea, and he quietly put it in front of Kagome.

She gave the man a small nod, and she muttered her thanks as she tipped the cup to her lips.

 _*Im sorry I put you through that hell…_

 _Now I finally know what it feels like…*_

Jakotsu leaned forward, and he planted a soft kiss on the side of her pretty little head.

 _*I finally know what it feels like…*_

He did not comprehend who was speaking anymore, all that was around him was a horrible blur from his tears.

Then the whole room suddenly erupted into a cheer, everyone was clapping their hands.

Members of the Board hurried towards him, extending their hands and offering their congratulations,

And the miserable doctor looked around, honestly bewildered.

"Congratulations to the new Chief Operating Officer of our subsidiary Hospital Network," Harada appeared before him, extending a polite hand, "Mister Sesshomaru Taisho, I look forward to your input in this new venture. All matters or concerns you have, please report directly to me."

To say he was left speechless was an understatement…

The decision left Sesshomaru utterly stunned.

The golden-eyed man searched for her in the middle of the crowd, and he found her.

Kagome smiled at him, and she bowed down cordially.

He rushed towards her, but the crowd congregated around him, and when he was able to escape from the group, she was gone.

 _*I finally know what it feels like,_

 _To be trapped inside a glass case,_

 _Bound to never reach you…_

 _even if you were just an arm's length away.*_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N:**_ _I understand this isn't everyone's cup of tea. But to those who appreciate this, Thanks. Really._

 _Italicized paragraphs are flashbacks. Some are thoughts, depending on the context._

 _Standard disclaimer applies._

* * *

 _ **Ichi-go Ichi-e**_

 _Chapter 15_

 _The Bittersweet Irony_

* * *

 _~Four years ago~_

 _She left him without a winter coat,_

 _and a tender kiss goodnight._

 _He couldn't have left those delicate shoulders cold, anyway,_

 _He would have to let her go at some point in the evening, too._

 _The night of the merger was nothing like he expected. Mitsui Jakotsu, Turnover Consultant and Chief Liaison Officer employed by the late Onigumo- was quite annoyed, to be honest, on the news of the fresh leadership. He had a lot of work lined up for him in the coming days. But he knew this meeting was necessary for formality, and so he dragged his blasé ass to the party and put on his best mask. It would be routine, he led himself to believe, a little nod here and there, a kiss on the cheek to the new CEO (She was half-french, he heard,) and the damn schtick would be over, just like any other functions he had attended, just like any other meetings he had been to._

 _But he never expected himself to gravitate towards her, did not expect himself to be smiling until his jaw hurt, the thick mask dissolved away._

 _"To think, before this night, I hated your guts." He told her at one point. Onigumo had no known romantic affiliations at that time, and little miss perfect suddenly entering into the picture, the two of them too close for comfort, had put shockwaves throughout the media, shooting straight towards his heart:_

 _He had carried a torch for his handsome, scathingly forthright boss, and it was no secret to the company._

 _"To think, before this night, I never even knew you existed," she answered, shrugging her dainty little shoulders in a smug elegance. At that point, he threw his head back and gave a deep laugh. No wonder his late boss found it so easy to relate to her…_

 _She was so much like Naraku, yet at the same time, far too different._

 _"Don't assume you have total control, little girl." He teased, drawling out the pet name as clearly as he could, "Just because you inherited complete ownership, doesn't mean you can turn things around with a snap of your fragile little fingers." He leaned over, and whispered to her ear, "If I need to, I have enough material to have you begging on your knees."_

 _"You have blackmail material?" She clarified, so deceptively sweet her smile was, "Against me?" so kind the twinkle in her eye._

 _"I did my research about you, Kagome-_ ** _chan_** _. I know about your little fling with that Taisho heir a year ago. I know that you had a child out of wedlock, my private investigator says you visit little Haku's grave at least twice a week. How shameful would that be for your reputation?_

 _The prized heir from one of the wealthiest families, dumped by the young man who impregnated her, and by the way, never even claimed her as his girlfriend?"_

 _He thought he saw a distant emotion flash through her blue eyes, but then again, he could have imagined things._

 _She blushed for a bit, the hue reminding him of Japanese sakura blossoms amid a blue, cloudless sky. "Ah," she looked away shyly, "But that truth is bound to surface sooner or later, Mitsui-kun. I just wished it would be later, not sooner, because, to be honest… C'était tellement gênant. What would it take to keep you silent for a while, I wonder?" she said, retaining that sweet little smile, "Perhaps, some blackmail of my own?"_

 _His brow shot up to the stratosphere, or so, as he remembered, as she tiptoed up, it was her turn to whisper:_

 _"I did my research about you, Mitsui-kun. I know about your little closet secret. I know that your parents are unaware, for they are strictly traditional. You couldn't care less, but they will only sign off the family inheritance to you only in the conditions that you get engaged to a woman of equal social standing._

 _How inconvenient would it be if I accidentally revealed your sexual orientation? Will Otou-sama and Okaa-san take it as unacceptable in your honorable samurai lineage? Will they strip their eldest son, the one they put up on a decorated pedestal, the chance to covet the family inheritance?"_

 _He shivered from the ruthlessness of her sentiments, so contradictory to the innocence of her youthful face._

 _He drew in the last bouts of his cigarette and released the cancer-causing smoke out into the festive night._

 _Inside the function hall, people were slowly trickling out and saying their goodbyes. He had fled to the balcony, alone and silent. It wasn't so just a few minutes ago. She was with him, beside him, to be exact, under the fairy lights, laughing at his notoriously dry jokes._

 _He did not know if she was genuinely humored, or was just being polite._

 _And so it was he gave her his Armani coat to cover her bare shoulders, (she was wearing a modernized, off-shoulder version of a kimono), and before he knew it she said her goodbyes with a friendly_ _faire_ _la bise._

 _Mitsui Jakotsu dropped his cigarette, squashed it on the ground with the sole of his designer shoes, and darted towards the valet._

 _He caught her, just in time: she was making her way into her sedan, the door being held by a smiling chauffeur._

 _"' Gome-chan," he called out, purposefully retaining her pet name to secure her attention. She did pause, she did turn around._

 _She regarded him with a questioning look._

 _"We will be working with each other closer than you might have assumed," He started, advancing his way towards her, "As close as you will have to with Harada, to be exact." Jakotsu reached out, and smoothly dusted a wilted leaf that settled on her Armani-clad shoulders._

 _"And you're saying…?" She tilted her chin down, making her look more innocent than anything else._

 _"I'm saying, that I need your contact info." He said without reservation, "I need your personal phone number, so I can reach you at any time your business phone is unavailable."_

 _She paused briefly, appearing to be giving it a thought. Then she shifted, wrapping his suit tighter around her petite body, for it was infernally cold._

 _"Mitsui-kun, I don't have a pen with me, and I don't see a phone in your hands. Are you good at remembering numbers?"_

 _He gave her a cocksure smirk. "Numbers are what makes my world go round, pretty little darling."_

* * *

Sesshomaru had to wait until everyone left. It wouldn't have been his preference, he could feel the cravings start to kick in. But Harada asked to meet with him when the meeting was over, he couldn't let him down.

As pathetic as it may sound, his superior was the only person who did not see him as a drunken failure of a man. He was the closest thing he had to a friend.

"Taisho-san," Harada's familiar voice drifted into the now empty meeting room. Sesshomaru spun from the floor-to-ceiling views of the city and saw the Vice President by the doorway, holding a disposable cup of coffee on his hands.

It was still hot, he could tell by the steam that was rising from it.

"You look like a train wreck." Was Shippo's first sentiments. Once upon a time, Sesshomaru would have been offended. He was as vain as vain could get. But now,

Now was a different story.

"Have you tried cutting back on your alcohol?"

"I wouldn't see my personal problems as an issue-"

"It is an issue." Harada stepped forward, reaching for a chair. He settled his cup, and himself on the table, and sighed, exhausted. "You reeked of alcohol in the meeting. The executives told me." He turned to the doctor, a brow raised. "Do you think that looks good for your reputation? You are in a C-level position now-"

"To hell with what they think about me." Sesshomaru answered, quite annoyed.

"Then how about the person who appointed you into that position?" Shippo glared. "Have you ever paid attention to the meeting? We reiterated your responsibilities as Chief Operations Officer. She put you in charge of the whole project."

Sesshomaru paused, and looked at the Vice-President.

"She has endorsed your credentials to the executives in good faith, because in the earlier meetings, they voiced their doubts. You could at least pull yourself together for this, Taisho-san.

She vouched for you and your management abilities.

You better not make her look like a liar."

Shippo sighed once again. "If all goes well this year with this venture, we will create an independent board for the Hospital Group. You will break off from my supervision and become Vice President of this group yourself. So while we work together, please, don't give me a hard time. Onigumo Holdings has grown too rapidly under Kagome's leadership, and I hate to say it but I can barely catch up. Now I have you under my belt. Damn," He stood up, "I'm struggling like a drowning rat here, I wonder how 'Gome manages it when she's juggling more pins than I have on my hands." The Vice President reached for his breast pocket, and he pulled out a small calling card.

He handed it to Sesshomaru.

" _Summit Newsom,"_ Sesshomaru read, " _Rehabilitation and Mental Health."_ Sesshomaru looked at Shippo with incredulity, "A rehab center?"

"Their detox program is inpatient, 3-4 days minimum," Harada said, his no-nonsense approach making it hard for any sane person to interject. "But once you are medically clear they can follow you on an outpatient basis, which will be a big convenience considering our current responsibilities."

"Harada, I don't think-"

"I'm not forcing you to go now, or tomorrow. I'm only giving you a recommendation. They keep the identities of their high-profile patients confidential. And the place is beautiful."

The doctor regarded Shippo with a curious look.

Shippo rolled his eyes, giving up. "I've been there many times. Not as a patient." He held a finger up like he was talking to a little child. "But as a visitor." He returned his hands to the warmth of his cup. He turned silent for a while. "Kagome was there," he quietly said, "When she was admitted for depression. There were times when she would… withdraw from the world, and the family feared that she would spiral down into a catatonic state, as they described it, like she did when she was a child." The Vice President looked up, and locked eyes with the stunned doctor.

"She didn't just wake up one morning and magically forgot you, Taisho-san. I don't know what you've been through, but for her, getting back up to her own feet… especially after the accident, it was a very slow process.

It took years.

Your marriage with those women… and your absence in her life…

It's been a godsend, a profound blessing. It helped bring the real Kagome back to us."

Shippo reached out again, and Sesshomaru glanced his way. The Vice President was offering his coffee cup to him.

Harada never really drank from it, it looked like it was prepared for him anyway. And so Sesshomaru accepted. Politely he dipped the cup to his lips. Golden eyes subtly widened, pleasantly surprised. "I don't recall telling anyone how I wanted my coffee…" He looked at the lip of the paper cup,

What he saw, struck him into silence.

Harada Shippo chuckled.

* * *

The golden-eyed doctor found himself alone, yet again in his large suite. The lights were neglected, he did not bother to turn it on since he arrived. It was only the dim of the moonlight and city lights from the neighboring skyscrapers outside that flooded the room and settled on his stationary form.

His unanswered phone on his left side of the counter, a bottle of half-downed whiskey on his right.

On his hands, the paper cup that Harada gave him, now empty of its contents.

 _ ***You have 3 unheard voice messages**_.* His phone blared. Sesshomaru secured the precious cup on his hand, and his free one reached out for his bottle.

He chugged the liquid down as if it were water.

 _ ***First message: from Taisho Touga.***_ There was a long beep, and his father's voice drifted into the quiet room. _***Son, I heard you've been appointed as a C-level executive. That makes me very proud.**_

 _ **Listen… the things I said to you, when you were**_ _ **at**_ _ **South Africa, I was wrong.***_ There was a long pause, and then, _***I know you just started, they probably didn't even discuss your rate yet, but I need money for a poker tournament—***_

Sesshomaru hit delete.

 _ ***Second message: from Taisho InuYasha.***_ The long beep followed. _***Onii-san. I got your voice message. Sorry I missed your call. Congratulations. I'm surprised they would do such a thing, too. Maybe it's an incentive for you to start pulling your life back together?**_

 _ **You can do it, Onii-san.**_

 _ **Uh, by the way, can I ask you a favor? (clears throat) If you don't mind, don't call me on my home number next time, Kikyo and the kids might answer. It's just that-"**_

He hit delete again.

 _ ***Third message: from 002 354 *****_ * _***Ohayo, Taisho-sama.***_ It was an unfamiliar number. The old man had an annoying high-pitch, almost like a squawking quality to his voice. _***Sorry to be calling you at this hour, I tried catching you in your pad this morning but you were in the meeting. Anyway, my name is Nozoe Jaken, we haven't met before but we will**_ _ **eventually**_ _ **when all my preparations are done and I sign my contract tomorrow.**_

 _**I'll be your personal assistant, Harada has assigned me to do your errands and miscellaneous business. Please contact me on this number if a need arises.**_

 _ **I will see you tomorrow and please have a good night's rest.***_

Sesshomaru paused, and he leaned on his chair and chuckled to himself.

A personal assistant?

To cater to his needs and tend to his comfort?

He settled the now empty bottle on the counter.

 _*How ironic._

 _The people whom I regarded as a constant fixture_

 _Does not want to have anything to do with me…*_

and the paper cup, he fidgeted with his hands.

 _*Yet the people whom I thought would want me_

 _to disappear from the face of the earth…*_

He stole a glance at the calling card that was on the corner of the granite countertop. Aside from the printed numbers was Harada's personal phone, scribbled over the blank space.

 _"You can reach me here for anything. I'll lend you an ear," Shippo had said before he left, his trademark scowl plastered on his face. "Just… don't call me at weird hours, alright."_

Sesshomaru brought his gaze back to the item on his hands, the paper cup, and he passed a gentle thumb against the rim.

It held something he never expected to see again.

 _"I don't recall telling anyone how I wanted my coffee…" He looked at the lip of the paper cup,_

 _What he saw, struck him into silence._

 _A familiar shade of peach was left imprinted on the top rim._

 _Her lipgloss._

 _The same shade, since four years ago._

 _Harada Shippo chuckled. "She thought you looked weathered down this morning,_ _thought_ _you probably forgot your coffee again." After a long silence, "Oi, don't keep your hopes up, Taisho." He glared daggers. "She's always like this to people she personally knows. It's nothing special." Shippo chuckled in annoyed disbelief, shaking his head, leaving the room to himself._

"You're still the same, but you're completely different." His fingers stopped fiddling, he stared at the cup absently, his thoughts bringing him back to a memory, five years ago, when they were still together.

 _"Sesshomaru-kun," she called out, just as he was about to shut the door. She held up his portable tumbler, offering it to him._

 _"What's that?" he was late for work, he had to rush._

 _"You didn't have breakfast," she smiled, "So I made you your coffee." Slowly she tipped the open vent for a quick taste, making sure the brew was perfect._

 _It left an imprint of her lips- in peach-colored gloss- on the tumbler._

 _"Double-shot, two French vanilla creams_ _and_ _one sugar… just as you like it."_

 _He smiled. "You didn't have to." He leaned over and kissed her on her lips, "But thanks anyway." He took the cup from her hands,_

 _His engagement ring, flashing against her eyes, as it hit the bright morning sun._

 _He knew she was aware. He turned to rush outside._

 _"Sesshomaru-kun," she called out again. He spun around, and just as he expected, she was looking at him, with tears starting to gather in the corners of her blue eyes. She bravely held her trembling smile._

 _"I love you, Sesshomaru-kun. Come home early tonight."_

He traced the outline of her lips on his cup, very carefully, so as not to wipe it away. "If anyone would have told me… about the hell I would be in right now…"

The doctor gathered his short hair in his fingers, he dropped his gaze to the floor.

He allowed his regret to fall, little wet drops

settling quietly on his lap.

* * *

Shippo stared at the piles of boxes, all labeled _Fragile_ , scattered around his front porch. The early morning delivery had him floored.

His new wife, Ayame's sister Souten, stared at the monstrosity that covered their manicured lawn. "I knew you wanted to help me with decorating, but I never knew you were _that_ passionate."

"I didn't order these," Shippo said in disbelief, as he walked towards a box and scanned the shipping labels. "Fucking _Taisho_ sent it."

* * *

Kagome did not expect the call. When Harada told him about his _issue_ , she barely would have believed it. But he was making such a big deal about it that they had to make a detour, just to stop by his place.

She arrived, with a hug from her in-law Souten, and a huff from her VP-turned-family Shippo. He pointed to the boxes in question, she opened one.

"Vases?" her brows raised, she turned to her towering companion, who was beside her all the time.

"Looks like the expensive ones." Mitsui Jakotsu said as he examined the contents. "Why'd he send it to you?" He directed his gaze to Shippo.

The VP shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "He couldn't send it to 'Gome directly, because he doesn't have her address. Guess I'm the closest thing to her."

"Ah, questions aside, these are beautiful," Kagome commented, holding up a flame-looking piece for Jakotsu to see. He reached out, unabashedly placing his hands over hers, weighing in on his thoughts.

"And heavy." He slipped the vase out of her hands, allowing her to look into more. "That man has decent taste."

"I found a note." Said Souten, recovering a piece of paper from one of the boxes. She held the paper to her eyes, discerning the surprisingly neat handwriting: _**"For Kagome, do what you want with it, use it, throw it away if you want. This was supposed to be yours, anyway."**_

"Well then it's settled." Shippo reached out for a nearby box. "We're throwing it out."

"Woah, Woah!" Jakotsu pulled the box away from him. "Damn you Harada, you and your fucking _One Percenter_ mentality."

Shippo rolled his eyes, "Am I getting another long lecture about the plight of the hungry people around the world?" He let go of the box. "You're the one to lecture me, when you grew up in a family of _One_ _Percenters_ yourself."

"I'm saying let Kagome-chan decide. If she wants to throw it away, although we can put it to good use. Sell it on auction and donate the proceedings or something…"

Kagome, who was still rummaging through the boxes, softly gasped. She held her finger up, calmly holding it with her other hand. The tall man strode towards her petite little form, gently taking her hand on his.

"There was a broken vase inside," she said, as she pointed into a shoebox _inside_ a box of vases. The man looked over his shoulder and frowned. "That's not all my blood, Mitsui-kun. It was already stained when I found it." Kagome reassured. "It was a _Georg Jensen,_ limited edition" she tugged at his sleeve, trying to distract him from her injury. "I could tell because I have one, in the family's new cabin in Yukon."

"So what do you want to do with all this?" He asked, casually taking her bleeding finger to his lips, attempting to suck out the splinters that might mix with her blood.

"I might want to keep some, there are truly beautiful pieces here." She said, unflustered by Jakotsu's intimate ministrations. "As for the others, you're right. We could auction them off, the proceeds could go to charity." The man was done, she allowed him to cradle her hand on his. "Harada, I want you to set me a private meeting with Taisho-san."

Jakotsu chuckled, "Want me to come with you?"

She shook her head softly. "I can do without, Mitsui-kun. There are certain things I need to tell him… certain things I need to clarify to him, privately."

Shippo nodded his head. "How soon?"

"As soon as possible. It shouldn't wait." She answered.

"Though it should be somewhere public," said Shippo, taping on his phone's calendar. "I wouldn't trust him alone with you-"

Kagome scoffed. "Taisho-san is not the kind of person who would do such things."

"Hey," Jakotsu chided eagerly, "There's this exclusive French place that's just opened. Maybe you can arrange a lovely dinner with him," He smirked at Kagome, "That way you can try the dining experience. And if it's any good, you and I can go back, _together_ -"

"Ah, putting me up as pawn again." She sighed, pulling her hand away from him. "Such a gentleman you are."

"Of course," Jakotsu grinned, "What would you expect? I am your dearest fian—"

"Harada, let me know when I am to meet with Taisho." She said, cutting him off, straightened her kimono and started to walk away, the shoebox in her hands. "Bonjour, Souten. We have to rush, we're already late for lunch." She gave the woman a quick peck goodbye.

They silently watched as the pair made their way out. They saw Jakotsu jog up to Kagome, a grin on his face, and she, not stopping, saying something to him. As they walked away, the man quietly took the shoebox from her hands and slipped his arm around her shoulder, casually pulling her closer, stealing a tender kiss on the side of her head.

Then he withdrew, offering his arm for her. She hooked her arm around it, as they disappeared out of sight.

Souten shook her head. "If I were a common passerby, I'd say they looked like the perfect couple."

Harada sighed. "Looks can be deceiving."

* * *

Sesshomaru woke up in the afternoon, it was a good thing it was the weekend, and he was relieved from his responsibilities at this time. The sound of his ringing phone was what jolted him into consciousness.

Still in his pajamas he shuffled out to his kitchen, rinsing his mouth from the bitter aftertaste of bile and alcohol.

He clutched the side of his head from a nasty, but familiar, hangover headache.

 _" **Sesshomaru-sama, this is Jaken."**_ The voice message echoed in his quiet suite, _**"It was nice meeting you yesterday morning. You didn't answer your door today, so I just left some groceries outside the doorway. Also, I set up an appointment with your tailor, Harada mentioned you might need new suits."**_

Sesshomaru stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He looked away from his beer belly in disgust.

 _" **Call me when you are available."**_ Jaken finished.

He reached out for the nearest vodka bottle and twisted it open.

There was another ring, and a long beep followed _ **. "Taisho-san, it's Harada. I don't know if you're home or not. I asked Jaken and he said he wasn't sure."**_ Harada made a clicking sound, most probably from annoyance _ **, "So much for a personal assistant. Anyway, Kagome wants to meet with you for dinner—"**_

The bottle dropped completely to the floor, Sesshomaru literally lunged over the counter in a hurry to grab the phone. Appliances came crashing down the hardwood, but the man did not seem to care. "Harada," he said, the moment he lifted the receiver, "I'm home."

"Oh," for a moment, the VP sounded surprised. "Uh," he uttered, gathering his thoughts, "As I said, Kagome wants to meet with you for dinner. Does tomorrow night sound good?"

* * *

There was no answer. Shippo waited, rather impatiently, he even cleared his throat several times. But he knew he was on the other line.

He could hear pathetic sniffles from his end of the receiver.

Shippo's jaw clenched in silent anger.

 _Pull yourself together,_

 _Take responsibility for yourself._

 _You're a fucking adult, not sweet sixteen. Fucking spoiled brat._

His wife, who was writing something from across the table, dropped her pen and looked straight at him. She had a perfect-shaped O on her mouth.

 _"What?"_ Shippo mouthed quietly, frowning in annoyance.

"I-" Sesshomaru stuttered in the receiver, "I apologize. I guess you're right."

Harada slapped a hand over his mouth, realizing his mental rant flowed unfiltered : he said his lovely sentiments aloud.

He turned to see his wife doubled over the table in restrained laughter. Shippo cleared his throat, pushing his embarrassment aside. He already had the reputation of being brutally honest, that instance would just become another attestation to it. "Friendly advice aside, I'll text you the time and address. You could always have Jaken drive you to your destination."

A long pause on the other line, "Thank you." Sesshomaru answered quietly.

"And Taisho-san?" Shippo added, the corner of his lips pursing into a strict line. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Hai," the doctor answered, and because of his sudden silence, the redhead knew at that moment, the doctor was not as imperceptive as he thought he was.

"Please respect your professional relationship with Miss Higurashi-DuPont," Shippo said. "Keep in mind, you have to consider her personal space. I understand the nature of your past with her,

And you might know this, or maybe not… but she is an affianced woman now,

and her fiancé's family, the Mitsui clan, is notoriously traditional.

Any unwanted advances towards her will not look good in the public's eye."

As expected, a dead silence crept between them. The redhead just wished Taisho was sitting down when he asked his favor.

And it was apparent that the man on the other end would not answer. So Shippo gathered a fulfilled breath, and in between the suffocating silence, finally said, "Get some sleep tonight, Taisho-san."

The redhead cursed himself mentally, for not feeling the smallest ounce of guilt after delivering the hurtful blow.

But he was witness to Kagome's painful process, four years ago,

She was now part of his extended family, too.

He ended the call without the slightest hesitation.

* * *

 _~Two years ago,_

 _Shiro Amusement Park~_

 _"Thank you for arranging this, it wouldn't have been a success without you." She dipped her free hand into the clear waters of the fountain, the colored lights in harmonic rhythm with the jets of water. She stared for a while, mesmerized at the pulsating colors._

 _The event was technically over, the park's access for the day exclusively for the donors and their families. Of course, the proceeds were 100% for the charity. The night was getting deeper, the laughter of the children was long gone, replaced by exhausted, albeit fulfilled sighs of a grown-up crowd who could afford to stay up late._

 _The golden lamps reflected hauntingly against her off-white dress, and a soft wind passed by, sifting her loosely braided hair. Kagome reached out, tucking the loose strands away from her face._

 _Mitsui Jakotsu took his jacket off and wrapped it around her, dusting a wilted leaf off her shoulders, reminding him of the first time he met her two years ago._

 _How time flies._

 _"I'm afraid this might blow away," she commented, tightening her hold to the item in her hands. It was a bunch of pearlescent pink-colored balloons, their motif for the family-friendly event._

 _He reached out, and held it down with her, waiting for the wind to pass by._

 _"Has it ever occurred to you, that you'd be here, right at this place, sharing this moment with me?" He suddenly said. The chilly autumn wind had settled down, he tried to take responsibility for the balloons and pulled it away from her hands._

 _But she held on, refusing to let go._

 _"I only open up to a few people." She said._

 _"It's a joy to be one of them," Jakotsu said, his hand still curled on the strings. "But you have to be careful with showing your true face to anyone, you have to be very picky._

 _You think you know a person, and then you realize he or she's a complete stranger."_

 _The young woman beside him reeled back and blinked. Then a smile bloomed on her face, and she laughed… A bittersweet laugh, (kind of sad, in his point of view). "Merci, Mitsui-kun, but I think your advice is five years late." She shifted her gaze to the vast night sky, "And I would never have listened to it_ _anyway,_ _because I was a silly little girl, who thought her love could conquer all."_

 _A moment of silence passed them both._

 _Then he shifted, and pulled the strings closer, pulling the young woman closer. What he was about to ask her was deathly confidential, he couldn't risk anyone to overhear. "Don't tell me you don't long to be loved by someone, at some point in the future? Is there a chance that you will ever open up soon?"_

 _The woman's eyes suddenly plunged into a deeper, darker hue, an emotion he had never witnessed, ever before._

 _"I couldn't bear to go through anything like that, ever again," said Kagome._

 _"You're too young to say that with such finality," he countered._

 _"Not in that way, not in that intensity." She said, "Plus_ _jamais, Mitsui-kun. Never again."_

 _The man's handsome face suddenly gave her a scheming, lopsided grin. "Then you are exactly the woman I am looking for. Kagome-chan, we are a match made in heaven."_

 _"Don't humor me, Mitsui-kun. I know your sexual preference. You wouldn't touch my kind with a ten-foot pole-"_

 _He laughed. "Do relationships have to be based on love? We are perfect for each other, Kagome-chan. Can't you see?_

 _There's zero chance for us falling for each other, hence no hurt feelings if we decide to take someone on the sidelines._

 _I need a social front for my parents to secure my inheritance. You need an excuse to barricade yourself from the future relationships you are so annoyed at._

 _As far as being in each other's company, we can make each other smile… and that's always good for the cameras._

 _We tolerate each other, should we end up actually marrying, and we care for each other, although not in a romantic way._

 _If we sprinkle it with cheesy displays of affection,_

 _we'll look like the perfect little couple._

 _In the end, we both get what we want._

 _I'm putting all my confidence in you, Kagome-chan, to help me pull this off. Rest assured you can put your trust in me._

 _What do you say?"_

 _She remained silent, the depth of her blue eyes absolutely spellbinding. Slowly, her grip to the string of balloons loosened, and he grinned,_

 _as she finally entrusted the frivolous party favors to him._

 _"I see a couple of media personalities aiming their cameras on us. How about we start the rumor mill right now?" He smiled mischievously, as he leaned forward and casually caught her lips with his own._

 _They purposefully lingered on each other's lips for a little bit longer,_

 _Waiting for the inevitable camera flashes that would explode in the darkness._

 _And come it did._

 _The strings were released from their hands as they pulled away,_

 _The balloons rose, carefree into the will of the autumn wind._


	16. Chapter 16

_**Ichi-go Ichi-e**_

 _Chapter 16_

 _Unacquainted_

* * *

 _*Five Years Ago,_

 _Apartment 103, New York*_

 _"Do you think this dress is too formal, Ayame-chan? Or do you think I should just go with a kimono for modesty?" She tilted her shoulders away from the mirror, angling herself to get a better view of the back details of her dress. She frowned, bit her lip, and then proceeded to turn her haughty little nose up in vain._

 _Kagome's blue eyes flashed to the dresses piled in front of her, and she slumped her shoulders in resignation. "Ayame-chan? Petit loup… are you going to stand there and remain as indecisive as I am?"_

 _"I don't know," Ayame said, "We're in New York. If you wear a kimono you're sure to stand out like a sore thumb."_

 _"Don't want that to happen." Said the blue-eyed teen. "But the few dresses you brought for me are all designer. It's bad enough that I'm living in a ten-million-dollar suite…"_

 _"Which he has never even acknowledged." Ayame pulled out a simple a-line dress, she handed it to Kagome. "He doesn't even care, Kagome. Where you came from, who you really are…" her lips started to slant down, "You've been his bedwarmer for the whole fucking year. Yet he's not the slightest bit nervous thinking about a possible family you left behind?!" For a while they were silent, and Ayame thought it was from her cousin trying to decide on her dress. But then she tilted her way, and she saw her cousin,_

 _Standing before the mirror,_

 _crying._

 _"If I tell him I'm Louise, he will hate me for ruining his family's reputation…" the teen whimpered, clutching the cream dress so very tightly on her hands, "But if I continue to be his Kagome, this… gullible girl whom I don't even know, he still wouldn't choose me, because I am a nobody…" She turned to her, her eyes an unfathomable mirror of heartbreak._

 _"Ayame-chan, I wish I were just someone else… maybe we would have met in different circumstances, maybe by then, he will choose me…_

 _I hate Louise, I hate Kagome, I hate myse—" She abruptly stopped, when the sting of her cousin's slap hit her tear-riddled face._

* * *

* Present Time*

 _*In all honesty, I am torn…*_

"Do you think this dress is too formal, Ayame-chan? Or do you think I should just go with this kimono for modesty?"

Ayame watched her cousin tilt her smooth shoulders away from the mirror, angling herself to get a better view of the back details of her dress. She watched her frown a bit, bite her lip, turn her haughty little nose up in vain, elegant distaste.

Kagome's blue eyes flashed to the dresses piled in front of her, and she slumped her shoulders in resignation.

 _*You don't seem to be flustered at all…_

 _Especially with the fact that it's him you're meeting. Which is a good sign…_

 _It means you've finally moved on.*_

She watched as Kagome bent down and picked up a layer of gold and purple kimono, from which she examined carefully in her hands. "Ah, Petit loup… are you going to stand there and remain as indecisive as I am?" She grinned, as she resumed in her careful study, "Too many options…"

 _*I remember… the one and only formal dinner you had with Taisho…_

 _are you thinking about it too?_

 _The evening started almost exactly like this._

 _I can't forget it… even if it was five years ago._

 _Gome-chan…*_

"Is my princess ready?" A newcomer stepped in. He grinned as he brushed smoothly past Ayame, his movements were lithe and sturdy. The tall man dipped down, as he took the unsuspecting Kagome's hand and kissed it.

His long hair, kept in a ponytail, fell off his shoulders like a silk curtain.

 _*At least I know, this evening is going to end differently._

 _Because_ _this evening… didn't start with tears.*_

Kagome smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Mitsui-kun! You have put me in a most confusing position!" she accused. "Even Ayame-chan shares the same dilemma as me!"

His brow raised, "I could tell." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the pile of dresses. "You know all of those dresses will look beautiful on you, Kagome. What are you so worried about? _Him_?"

The heiress frowned. "That's the least of my worries." She turned back to her mirror, "It's just … I know these dresses are from your sister's fundraiser collection. I don't want to pick one and offend her, she might think the others are inferior to my taste."

"Then let me pick one for you." He combed through the dresses, and, finding one to his own preference, pulled it out and handed it to her. "I'll tell her I _forced_ you to wear this."

She blushed a little as she reached out and he settled it on her arms, "I could imagine wearing this in our anniversary dinner, but for a dinner with an _old acquaintance_?" she asked skeptically.

Jakotsu clicked his tongue, "There are plenty more daring than that." He turned away as if it were routine, and he closed his eyes.

Kagome turned back to the mirror and started undressing.

"If you want, I'll have my sister make one especially for our anniversary…" He grinned, "You know, those plunging necklines that reach your navel. You get to wear those little flower pasties—"

Ayame elbowed the man in his ribs, "You are NOT using her as an object of your _Projection_ -"

"Hey, I was kidding!" He said, his eyes still closed, still turned away. "What could I say, except that I can't help it. My fiancée is an absolute doll,"

 _*Six months from now you will make a conscious, voluntary mockery of the sacred vows of marriage… And it's so hard to believe, of all the people, you would dare commit it,_

 _you, who loved only one boy her entire life,_

 _You, who trusted the inherent good of the world, despite it trying to crush your spirit, so many times…*_

Ayame resumed herself to helping Kagome, while she kept a secret gaze to the tall young man beside them. He was looking away, like the perfect gentleman he always was, whenever he was with his high-profile "girlfriend".

 _*It would be twisted of me… to root for this fake contract…*_

"I'm done," Kagome said. "How do I look?"

It was then that the man turned around and opened his eyes. A genuine, smug-looking grin flourished on his handsome face. He stepped past Ayame and took Kagome's hand, twirled her as if she were so much the princess that he called her. Mitsui Jakotsu looked her in the eye. "Stunning." He simply said.

 _*I know it would be twisted of me, but Kagome-chan…*_

Ayame watched as the two exchanged glances, a playful, secretive little grin thrown at each other, relaying a quiet understanding that only both of them could understand.

 _*Albeit your deceptive intentions,_

 _I would rather have you bask in these tender affections that Mitsui-san so generously showers you with,_

 _Than to have you revel in the feelings of your love,_

 _and suffocate in its misery.*_

"You look like the future Mrs. Mitsui," Jakotsu said, and he kissed the back of Kagome's hand. "Have a wonderful evening, _princess_."

* * *

It took him the whole day to finally decide. After going through piles of designer suits, lumps of silk neckties thrown over the bed, shoes scattered on the floor, Sesshomaru finally settled with the set that didn't look severely formal.

Although his beer belly was still jumping out at him in the mirror, he thought he looked decent enough. He combed his short hair and waxed it in place, frowning just a bit as little twinges of regret came passing through his mind- he didn't look like the dashing, golden-eyed doctor _she_ slept with five years ago- now all he could show her was is this haggard, middle-aged man who had severe sleeping problems.

"Which you fucking are." He said to himself, frowning.

And then he sighed. He looked away from the mirror, finally having enough of his out-of-shape self and stalked out of his room, towards the kitchen. He unscrewed his whiskey bottle and poured himself a glass.

Just enough, he thought, to take care of the tremors.

The last thing he wanted to do was to show up drunk before her and make a complete fool out of himself.

Not that he already hadn't.

 _*You have 3 unheard voice messages. First message: from 766 *** ****.*_

Sesshomaru pressed play.

 _ ***Sesshomaru-san, it's Rin.***_

Sesshomaru paused midway from his drink, slightly surprised. But he resumed, once she started talking again.

 _ ***I heard you're in Japan. I just got your number because I saw your name added to my business contacts… for Onigumo holdings… they're one of my top clients, as you know I've taken over father's business.**_

 _ **I'm still here in New York, been here, actually, never left. This is a long-distance call, so I'll make this short.***_

There was another long pause,

 _ ***I was surprised, seeing your name on their list, knowing who their CEO is.**_

 _ **I haven't got the chance to know her personally, she is top tier, and all my negotiations go through so many people before it could actually reach her.**_

 _ **But Sesshomaru-san… I hope life is treating you well.**_

 _ **After our little charade, Papa married me off to a business partner, and I think… I have grown to cherish his presence… what I'm trying to say is…**_

 _ **Contact me if it's about business. But for anything else… I won't be available. I can't be your friend, Sesshomaru-san. I'm sorry.***_

He downed the remaining liquid in one go. Sesshomaru pressed delete.

 _ ***Second unheard message. From 967 *** ***.***_

 _ ***Sesshomaru, it's me.**_ *

The sound of that familiar female voice surprised him, although he didn't really know what to feel about it. They parted on not-so-good terms, after all, he and his second ex-wife Minako.

 _ ***Don't ask me how I got your number, long story. I heard you're back in Japan. I know we separated in ugly terms, but I was just wondering if we could arrange to meet… you know, to catch up—***_

He hit delete without hesitation. This time, the corners of his lips were dropping downward, and he reached out to grab the whiskey bottle nearby. Maybe just one more glass won't hurt…

 _ ***Third unheard message. From: Number Witheld.***_

The smooth liquid flowed down into his glass, he could hear the clinking of the ice inside as it melted,

 _ ***Taisho-san, good morning.***_

Golden eyes flew wide open, immediately, the pouring liquid stopped. He set the bottle on the counter and checked the time of the message on the screen. Seven hours ago, there was no chance he could just pick up the phone and speak directly to _her_ -

 _ ***In case my voice doesn't sound familiar, this is Louise Higurashi-DuPont.***_

He winced at the distant formality of her tone, the strangeness of her whole name. But it was the same lyrical lilt, the same distinctive French accent.

He grimaced at the familiar warmth of her voice.

"Of course I know who you are," he whispered, and he found himself stupidly touching the receiver as if she would magically slither out of the phone.

 _ ***This is a courtesy call for later, Harada has booked us for dinner tonight at seven. I know you have a tight schedule, so I thank you for taking a fraction of your time to cater to my whimsy.**_

 _ **I look forward to seeing you.**_

 _ **Have a good day.***_

He stayed there, unmoving, as his whiskey glass sat neglected by his side. "You were always so formal," he said, to the emptiness of his fancy new suite.

At that time, he thought she was trying to impress him, he thought she was only trying to win him over. At that time, he thought she would do anything for him… and so he abused that eagerness,

At that time, he shoved her conveniently into his glass case, without listening to her silent cries.

"To think of it…

I never really took the time to know _you."_

He reached out, at first glance one would have thought, to his whiskey bottle,

But his hands went past it, disregarding the amber liquid, as he gently grabbed the item beside it:

The paper cup that held her peach-colored gloss.

The silence of the room resonated terribly in his mind.

* * *

"You sure you don't want me to come?" The luxury sedan was before him, Mitsui Jakotsu held a mischevious smirk on his lips. The heavily tinted windows were down, he was waiting patiently for her answer, because that was what loyal, perfect boyfriends would always do.

"How could I possibly ignore that scheming look of yours?" she said, concealed in the car's darkness. "Mitsui-kun, are you planning something that I don't know about?"

"No, Kagome-chan, my _princess_. If I ever am, you don't have to worry about it. I would never do anything to hurt our perfect relationship."

"Come here, _"_ she said, and he obediently leaned over. She reached out from the windows and gently held his face, pulling him closer, into the concealing darkness.

He emerged with an imprinted mark on his forehead: from the boldest, reddest lipstick anyone had ever laid eyes on.

"Stay out of trouble, _Mon Cheri_." She said, as her windows rolled up.

"Darling, that's impossible. You know I could never stay away from _you_." The sedan finally sped off, and Mitsui Jakotsu, like the perfect boyfriend that he was, lingered until she was completely out of sight.

Someone shifted from behind them. It was Ayame, who had her arms crossed before her. "I swear, you two deserve an award." She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"For being the loveliest couple to ever exist?" He said as he flicked his head away, and strutted past her.

She shook her head in disbelief. "Drama queen."

* * *

Blue eyes flashed against the passing city lights, and she settled her gaze to the person who was sitting on the passenger seat before her. "You've been awfully quiet today, Kouga-kun." She shifted her bulky coat closer to her person, reveling in the comfort it brought to her bare skin.

"I don't see why you need to set this meeting up. You could have just sent him an e-mail or something,"

"An e-mail?" She chuckled in disbelief. "There are issues that I need to address personally." Then a lengthy pause, "Kouga-kun, I know how it feels to be put on the side and ignored. I've crawled out through that hell. I don't want anyone to experience what I've experienced before."

There was a quiet silence between them when she started talking again. "How many bodyguards did you secretly plant in the restaurant?"

"I didn't 'plant' anyone—"

"Kouga-kun?" she teased.

"Just one." He answered.

"This is a casual dinner between me and an old acquaintance." She smiled. "Bodyguards are not necessary. The place is relatively safe-"

"Okay, okay. Maybe two." He turned behind him, only to see her blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "Probably three… don't worry about it," Kouga frowned. "You won't even notice they're there."

Kagome chuckled as she brought her gaze back to the city lights.

* * *

The clinking of glass and cutlery would have served as a welcome distraction to his jumping nerves. But it didn't, and Taisho Sesshomaru looked at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. The minute hand seemed to mock him, time ticked by agonizingly slow, it was still six-thirty in the evening.

He fidgeted with his tie, drank a sip of his choice wine, (just a sip, careful not to overdo it,) and directed his gaze towards the entrance of the grand dining area.

No sight of her yet.

He looked around. If there was any relief to the night, it would be the thought that he was not the ugliest in the room. He did have a beer belly, but he was dressed decently. At least he fit in.

"Sesshomaru?" someone exclaimed. He spun from his seat, summoning a smile that could probably fool the most hapless country girl. But his smile dropped short when he saw who was at the other end.

"Minako, what are you doing here?" He stood as he acknowledged her presence, he still had to be civil, no doubt. She pulled him close for a warm hug.

"I came to try out this new restaurant, my boyfriend had to work so I came here by myself. How about you?"

Sesshomaru pulled away immediately, not wanting to linger in her embrace. "I'm meeting Kagome."

 _"Kagome?"_ she frowned, her smile turning into a sneer, "The dead girlfriend? What, did she miraculously resurrect from—" she paused when he motioned to his table. On the elegant little holder, printed in dainty cursive was the table's reservation name:

 _ **Louise Kagome Higurashi-Du-Pont.**_

She stiffened. " _She_ is Kagome?" she looked at him in disbelief, and the golden-eyed man nodded his head, not knowing exactly how to feel.

Her name, it seemed, was an entity of its own.

The petite woman stuttered for a while, and finally regaining her poise, she straightened her shoulders, sizing herself up against what seemed like an invisible competition. "Anyway, you didn't return my call, Sesshomaru. How are you? I heard you got appointed at C-level,"

"How did you know about that?" He frowned.

"It's a multimillion-dollar project, from one of the behemoth companies." She chuckled, giving him a coy grin. She reached out and tried to straighten the pocket square of his suit. "It's bound to make news."

He pulled her hand away. "Good to know I have such warm reception," he said, dropping her hand. "Minako, I have to be honest with you. I apologize if I might sound like a jerk," He watched quietly, as the curve of her lips pursed into a scorned frown, "I don't know how to lay this gently… but Minako, I have no interest in reconnecting…"

"But-"

He was about to continue, as politely as he could, when something caught his eye. "Excuse me," he said, brushing past her. He strode towards the other side of the room.

The woman he left behind huffed in frustration, she turned around and scurried towards her table.

* * *

She was wearing a formal kimono, of course, she would. Amber and cream, white elegant cranes. Her hair was pulled up to a beautiful bun, with matching amber pins and a floral comb adorning her crown.

She was still so modest, after all, and dare he say, childishly innocent. That would probably never change.

That was what he thought when he stalked towards her petite little form.

"Kagome," he said, reaching out and settling a hand on her shoulder. She was talking to someone, probably a business acquaintance, so enamored was she that she jumped a little upon his contact. She turned around, and Sesshomaru stepped back.

"Do I know you?" The woman said.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." He bowed profusely as he turned away, trying to calm his beating heart. He swore it was running a hundred beats per minute, and he looked at his clock to check the time.

Six forty-five.

Was she going to be late? He thought. God, he was a nervous wreck. He settled himself onto his chair and took another sip of his wine.

Six fifty.

Did she change her mind? He looked around nervously, everyone was minding their own business, talking about in hushed conversation, making comments and praises of the food,

Six fifty-five.

She probably bailed. Why the hell would she even want to meet with him? That bastard Jakotsu probably opposed the meeting. Shit, if only he could—

"Taisho-san, I'm glad you made it." Someone said, and immediately, his mental conversations shut. There was the most unfamiliar figure standing before him, and it was only when he saw her face did he recognize who she was.

* * *

One thing was for sure: she was not wearing a modest kimono. That he knew, the moment he saw those nosebleed-high stilettos upon pretty little feet. It was accentuated with the most feminine silk ribbon detail on the back of her ankle, and she shifted, commanding attention to a smooth expanse of calves.

The rest of her legs, much to his frustration, was covered in a luxurious poof of fur coat.

"Bonjour, did you wait long?" she said, blue doe eyes seeking in concern. But it was hard to get focus with everything else going around- he felt that his nerves were in overload. "Taisho-san."

"Yes," he said dumbly, he might have just mentally slapped himself. He could not take his eyes off her face,

Sultry, smoky eyes,

Red, red lips…

She cleared her throat, and he tried to snap himself out of his trance. He stared at her absently, she had her head tilted, motioning something to him, giving him a cue. What it was, he simply couldn't comprehend.

She tilted her head again, this time, more sublime. She really was cueing him about something, if only he could get his fucking brain to work.

She had her hair down today. When was the last time he saw her with her hair down? Waist-length, cascading in waves, all on one side as if she had jumped straight out of a classic Hollywood movie.

On the other side exposed her bare, tempting neck-

The sight of the waiter approaching cut him short of his debilitating trance, and he heard her sigh in relief. She nodded to the waiter, as he greeted her with a formal smile.

The waiter reached out for her shoulders, towards her fur coat, and it was then that Sesshomaru realized what he was supposed to be doing.

Sesshomaru stood abruptly from his chair and darted towards the two. "I got this," he muttered, dismissing the waiter's presence. The man nodded in acknowledgment as he walked away.

"I apologize. I was a little distracted." He said under his breath.

"By what?" she said innocently, as he slipped the fur coat off her shoulders.

 _By you,_ Sesshomaru thought as her whole outfit came into revelation.

 _Kami, are you kidding me?_

Her shoulders were almost bare- underneath all that fur coat was a flimsy white _slip dress_. It almost looked like fucking _lingerie_ , the piece started with the riskiest decolletage, and ended too early at her upper thighs, revealing that expanse of legs that earlier he was so frustrated about.

With what she was wearing, hell, with how she looked tonight, he might as well just throw her on the table and ravish her the entire night… even with the presence of other people.

"Are you sure you're alright, Taisho-san?" she frowned.

"Yes," he said again, regaining his bearings as he hung the fur coat on the back of her seat. He pulled it out of the table as she sat, and once she was settled, he took a seat himself.

Secret glances were thrown their way, particularly to _her_ way, she remained nonchalant to it all.

"Your menu," an unwelcome voice said, and Sesshomaru himself settled on his chair.

The waiter filled his empty wine glass, and golden eyes secretly watched, burning as bright as a flame, at the woman who was scanning through the menu.

* * *

 _"He's here," Kagome whispered excitedly, and Ayame had to stop her chewing. Only because her cousin sounded so urgent, only because she was so happy._

 _It had been a while since she heard the laughter in her cousin's_ _voice,_ _because lately, it had only been a torrent of tears._

 _Ayame watched as the platinum-haired man greeted the other guests of the large party, shaking their hands and patting each other on the back: this was the apartment suite's annual gathering, where the (high profile) tenants would meet each other for a formal dinner. The Taisho guy, as Ayame had observed, was quite popular: almost everyone flocked to him, leaving her and her cousin in a neglected corner: when they entered, as she recalled, Kagome was asked to present her tenant's lease._

 _Apparently, they didn't believe she was one of the residents._

 _'If you only knew who she really is, morons-' Ayame's mental rant was cut short when she felt Kagome squeeze her arm. Ayame looked her way and her homicidal look softened._

 _"Ah, he looks good in his suit," Kagome said, the happiness that was once present in her voice… vaporized. "Takeda Rin helped him choose that," her voice trailed off._

 _"Kagome, we don't have to be here-"_

 _"He's never seen me in a nice dress," the blue-eyed teen said, almost in desperation, "He's never seen me in formal gatherings… he only sees me in his apartment… in oversized sweats…" She paused, and she locked eyes with Ayame. "Maybe if he sees me like this, he will consider me as a possibility… to replace Takeda-san,"_

 _"Kagome," Ayame said, barely saying her name. She was literally seeing red from anger…_

 _"Isn't he charming, Ayame-chan?" Kagome said, her voice shaking, blinking back her tears. "Who would have known… I'd fall into this hole, and could never seem to recover…"_

 _Ayame watched, glared at the young man as he interacted with everyone that met his way. Yes, he was beautiful, yes, he seemed charming. All she could do was to bite her tongue and swallow the bitter taste of her blood. "He is." She said, giving her cousin's hand a tight squeeze of reassurance._

 _Kagome stepped away, and Ayame let go._

 _"Sesshomaru-kun," the teen softly called out, and the man with golden eyes looked her way._

* * *

Silence.

It seemed deathly awkward, considering all the things that happened between them before. He tried to start a conversation, gods, with her, it was so easy to do so in the past. There was an invisible wedge forcibly driven between them now, and it was painful.

She lifted her eyes from the menu and looked directly at him,

His stomach did somersaults.

Butterflies, she once said, five years ago, she felt butterflies in her stomach, whenever he looked at her.

How the tides have turned.

"Are you ready?" she nodded ever so formally, and he was just content to see her looking at him. She cleared her throat, he gathered himself. Sesshomaru called for the waiter.

The uniformed man approached to take their order.

"She'll have the Island Creek Oysters with pearl tapioca—" he was cut short when she gently shifted, and he fell silent, realizing what he had just done.

He mentally hit himself in the head. How dare he… ordering for her as if she had no preference of her own.

As if it were five years ago…

"I would have loved to try Taisho-san's recommendation," She smiled at him in apology, "But I am highly allergic to oysters." She shifted her glance to the waiter. "But I assure you, Taisho-san has good taste. I'm sure whatever he recommends is highly credible. It's a misfortune in my part, tonight, that I could not try the oysters for myself."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes briefly, overwhelmed in disbelief. How could he not know about her food sensitivity? And how… after that brief deja-vu-like scene, did she have the grace to even save his face from this embarrassment?

She made it sound like it was her fault, just to save his narcissistic ass.

"I'll have the Ossetra Caviar," she said, seeing him struggle in his internal turmoil, and she rattled off French dishes whose name he could not even pronounce, buying him time to calm himself from his building anxiety.

"And you, monsieur?" the waiter turned to him.

"I'll have what she's having." Sesshomaru said.

The waiter left, leaving the two in another awkward, painful silence.

"I'm sorry about the oysters." Said Sesshomaru.

" _Pas de quoi,"_ she answered, "You wouldn't have known." Unbeknownst to him, she kept a secret eye on his hands… small tremors were showing, as he lifted his fork when the appetizer came.

"This is good," Sesshomaru said.

"My palate… I don't really like salty things," she answered.

He stiffened, he was not prepared for the retort. "The wine complements the wagyu," he scrambled, "I think Sangria is very versatile… that's why it's one of my top favorites,"

"Sangria's too _commercialized_ , it's my least favori—" she cleared her throat, stopping herself from making any more comments. It wasn't because she opposed anything he liked… no, it was something else unsettling, that only now she realized. "How was South Africa?" she initiated.

"Married, divorced, married, divorced… suspended my medical license, made a trainwreck of myself-"

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I meant the place." She rubbed her bare shoulders in discomfort. It seemed as if there was this constant raincloud that hung above them: whatever conversation they had, steered to the negative,

or highlighted the fact that they, after a year of being together, had NOTHING in common.

"I didn't notice," he said. "The coffee was good, though. I'm sure you would have liked it…"

"Taisho-san," she said quietly, "I hate coffee."

She kept her silence as the dessert arrived. And they would have stayed that way, quiet and awkward, until she noticed his trembling was getting pathetically worse. She looked straight at him and said, "This doesn't suit you."

He stopped, halfway into lifting his wineglass to his lips, and he looked her way.

"Stop doing this to yourself," she finally said, as calmly as she could, "You were a man of confidence… everyone looked up to you.

I looked up to you."

"How do you look at me now?" He didn't realize he was clutching the stem of his wine glass so tight.

"That's not the point,"

"How do you look at me now?" He prodded, desperate. "I didn't know how painful this was… Four years, and it's still painful. Can you believe that? And you just sit there as if this were just a casual chat,"

"Taisho-san," her lips curled down in what looked like annoyance, but she remained perfectly poised, unruffled. And it riled up the remaining brain cells in his head, "Please let's be _civil_ —"

"Do you feel sadness? Regret?

Anger? Do you feel _anything_ towards me at all?

I realized only now… the sweetest angels make the cruelest demons.

I don't know you Kagome, I don't think I -"

In the most perfect timing, in what seemed like the most suited coincidence, there was a baffling commotion, and a flurry of red.

Gasps from all around the room were heard.

And it took a while before it could register in Sesshomaru what really happened, because everyone else remained motionless. He checked himself in horror: his hands, his body, but no.

He didn't move, too.

He wasn't the perpetrator of the callow, utterly childish _incident_ :

There was food, steaming Provençal Tomato and Basil soup dumped all over her lovely person.

A deluge of memories instantly flashed inside Sesshomaru's head, from their only public dinner five years ago…

The waiter was scrunched on the floor, begging for forgiveness. The rest of the staff ran to the scandalous scene, it was absolute chaos.

Then a man, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, approached Kagome's still form, and he leaned down and whispered to her. Only when the woman opened her blue, blue eyes did utter embarrassment settle inside Sesshomaru:

For his inconsiderate rant about his feelings,

and how he treated her then, that one shameful night.

Who gave him the right to do such a thing?

* * *

 _"Sesshomaru-kun," she said, her voice so full of sickening hope, and the young doctor turned._

 _Golden eyes grew wide. "What are you doing here?"_

 _He took a step back._

 _In that instant her blue eyes darkened, she stepped forward, challenging his distance._

 _"I'm a resident," Kagome chuckled, barely containing the tears that were brimming in her eyes. "I can mingle with your crowd, too." She shrugged her shoulders, showing him her dress. She looked like a lovesick little puppy, waiting for scraps of praise from her master._

 _When he stood there unreceptive, she forced a smile-_

 _It was evident that he did not want her around._

 _The young doctor ran his fingers through his hair, a thing he would always do whenever he was nervous. He looked around him, eyes darting from person to person._

 _"Kagome, you really shouldn't be here—"_

 _A slender arm slid casually into his, and the golden-eyed man snapped towards the source of contact. There was a red-haired woman in an emerald-green dress hooked around him. She was holding a wine glass on her free hand, and her sunset eyes held the most merciless glare._

 _"So this is Sesshomaru-kun," she said._

 _"Ayame-chan," she reached out to her, but Ayame pulled him away._

 _"I've heard a lot about you, Sesshomaru-kun. It's high time we have a little chat," Ayame said coldly, dragging him with her. He was resisting, and it only made her more determined. "Come, let's sit together on our table—"_

 _"I apologize," he was restless, "But I really don't think I should—" He tried to pry himself away from her ironclad grasp, desperate. "We can talk after dinner—"_

 _He was able to pull himself away. But because of the strength of Ayame's grasp, he slightly reeled, knocking back the person following closely behind him: none other than the concerned little blue-eyed girl._

 _She stepped back and her floor-length skirt caught on her heels, she fell to her knees. Wine glasses full of red alcohol came crashing from above her: a waiter that was holding a tray full of Pinot Noir lost his balance,_

 _Spilling it over her disgraced form._

 _"Kagome-" Ayame gasped, rushing to her cousin: she was soaked in red wine, her hands were riddled with cuts._

 _People gathered around them…_

 _And Sesshomaru could only stare in horror._

 _"Poor girl," someone said,_

 _"Someone else_ _help_ _her-"_

 _Ayame flashed her sunset glare at the young doctor, and suddenly, all eyes were on him._

 _A hand tapped the broad of Sesshomaru's back. "Do you know her, Sesshomaru?" The young doctor turned sideways, only to find the most familiar face: Takeda Hiro, Rin's father._

 _The young man hesitantly shifted his gaze around the room._

 _Hiro was staring, Ayame was staring… every person in the room was staring at him. And his gaze finally fell to her, to darling blue eyes that pleaded with him, begging him to save her from her embarrassing predicament:_

 _His eyes veiled into the coldest amber. "I don't know her," he said, and immediately, her blue eyes shut down into an unfathomable depth._

 _He half-turned to walk away when there was the sound of shuffling. He dared to look back and saw her, his Kagome, picking up the broken pieces of glass in her hands. There was a trembling smile on her lips, and a torrent of tears from her cheeks._

 _"Ah, I'm okay, everyone, it was just an accident-" she whimpered, "Clumsly little me," she continued her berating herself, pretending to laugh off her embarrassment all the while with bleeding hands and a shattered, broken heart, "Gomen nasai, I didn't want to ruin everyone's evening-"_

 _He tightened his jaw and clenched his hands, restraining himself from rushing to her._

 _"Jeez," Takeda Hiro said, "Sure glad you're not associated with that simpleton."_

 _Sesshomaru forced a chuckle, and the simpleton that he loved must have heard, because there was a flurry of glass, and she fled out the door._

 _ **I'll explain to her later**_ _, he said to himself._ ** _She will be waiting for me in my penthouse, anyway. I'll explain to her later._**

 _ **She will understand, she will forgive me.**_

 _ **Like she always does.**_

* * *

 _*Who gave me the right to do such a thing?*_

"Gomen nasai!" the waiter who spilled his dish on her prostrated on the floor, and he was trembling, truly fearful of her wrath. The guests remained motionless, every breath was literally held.

 _*Knowing you, you would brush off everything in good faith,*_

"Miss DuPont, please, this wasn't done on purpose, you have to believe me-" The waiter was literally on the verge of tears. What an embarrassment, what a disgrace!

But she kept her eyes closed,

As the thick soup dripped onto her face, down to her designer dress.

The chef and the rest of the servers rushed to the spectacle, they immediately got down on their own knees. Then a man, clad in an expensive designer suit, approached the still woman.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, and he pulled away.

 _*Knowing you, you would give an apologetic smile, and say that it was an accident…*_

Kagome wiped the unsightly liquid off her face, and she opened her breathtakingly blue eyes. The woman held her hand up, and the staff halted midway. The restaurant staff held their positions.

She stood.

From the table beside them, someone else stood. And then another, and another, until it was a good ten people in the restaurant standing up, motionless, waiting for Kagome to make her next move. It was then that Sesshomaru realized, despite their designer clothing and innocuous appearances,

They all carried guns.

 _*I took advantage of your kindness. But now I realize, I didn't really know you…*_

Peeking out of their coats, strapped into their garters, showing through their dress' slits: they were _Bodyguards._

 _*Who gave me the right... to do such a thing.*_

She turned a slight glance towards them, and she chuckled, slightly amused at their sudden presence.

Then she turned to the woman, two tables before them.

Sesshomaru stiffened when he saw who the woman was: Minako, his ex-wife.

"You think you'd let someone else take the blame for this… _puerility_?" Kagome's lips were still curled down in utter annoyance, Sesshomaru had never seen that expression before.

With the presence of her intimidating guardians,

With all eyes on her, the blue-eyed heiress' regard was utterly ruthless:

In a way of heralding her dominance, the Gun Magnate tilted her chin up,

And she _looked down_ at the sneering guest.

"Apologize," Kagome said.

That one word threw the entire room into a tense silence.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N:**_ Italicized are either flashbacks or thoughts. Characters are scandalously, but unapologetically OOC. Standard disclaimer applies. Please take a seat, I apologize in advance: this will be a longer chapter. ;)

* * *

 _ **Ichi-go Ichi-e**_

 _Chapter 17_

 _Promises_

* * *

 _ **~Four Years Ago~**_

 _Ten-thirty in the evening and Kouga's cellphone blared through the nearly empty apartment. He tried to blink his sleep away, they had just emerged from a red-eye flight and he was still fighting his jet lag._

 _He tiptoed carefully from the couch, peeking into the one-bedroom of his cousin's multimillion-dollar suite. He sighed in relief: his old mother was sleeping soundly on the mattress. Knocked out, was the apt description. He would have woken her up to tell her he was right, she shouldn't have come with him and Ayame for this visit, it would have only tired her out._

 _He stepped away from the room and into the balcony. He answered the phone._

 _What he heard next shook the world out of him: he did not expect it at all._

 _"Is she there?!" Ayame's panicked voice screamed through his ears. "I barged into the brat's penthouse- fucking broke the lock… but she's not here-"_

 _"What-"_

 _"Kagome!" His wife was crying, to the point of delirium. "She fled from the party, that son of a bitch… he said he didn't know her, he even mocked her-"_

 _"What's happening?" A steady hand rested on his shoulders. Kouga spun around, his old mother was awake, she could very much hear Ayame's hysteria._

 _"IS SHE THERE?" Ayame repeated, and it was then that Kouga's eyes widened to the point of panic himself. "I'll call the neighboring establishments," she hastened, "Kouga-kun… you and Sango are the closest to her… do you have any idea as to where she might be?!"_

 _He dropped his phone without ending the call, and he didn't realize, his legs had already sprung to life. He could barely hear his steps as he darted through the quiet lobby, his heart was pounding so hard he felt it would escape out of his ribcage._

 _He barged into the indoor atrium, two people were in there talking, and surprised, they asked him something._

 _He could not hear. The sound of his blood rushing into his head, pounding in his ears was deafening._

 _" **I made one for you," five-year-old Kagome said, as she reached out and placed a handmade flower wreath on his head. "See, it's beautiful, just like Kouga-kun."**_

 _" **I'm not 'beautiful'!" He pouted, crossed his arms and looked away.**_

 _" **I'm a big boy, 'Gome-chan!"**_

 _ **She suddenly fell silent, a blush was rising in her cheeks. Then her face bloomed into a toothy smile.**_

 _ **She laughed. She sprang up and tackled him, and they sank into the bed of springtime flowers. "No! You're not a big boy, silly! You're Kouga-kun! And you'll always be Kouga-kun-"**_

 _"Kagome," he ground his teeth, the burn of tears stinging in his eyes. He slammed the sliding door shut and he ran away from the atrium…. Kouga found himself in an indoor prayer room._

 _It was empty, at this time in the night, there was no one in sight._

 _" **Kouga-kun," They had just hit the confusing world of puberty, he was crying over his first love. "Someone else will come, someone better for you."**_

 _" **What if she doesn't?" he dumbly said.**_

 _" **She will," she said with a reassuring smile, "I know she will. I pray for Kouga-kun's happiness every day.**_

 _ **Besides, Kouga-kun shouldn't worry about the wait. I'll always be there for him, no matter what."**_

 _"Where are you," he cursed, he was running towards no particular direction. His feet ached, his lungs, exhausted._

 _Something suddenly clicked in him, and his gaze snapped up. His hazel eyes darkened in hue, and he found his legs springing back into action. He did not mind the ache, he was running out of breath. Up into a dark stairway he ran, "You better not be here," he cursed through a blur of tears, "Kagome, you better not fucking be here!"_

 _He pushed the door open, and a gush of wind rammed his exhausted body. He blinked back. Before him was the heightened view of the Skyline of New York: he was on the rooftop of the building, on the ninety-fifth floor._

 _But Kouga did not see the skyline, nor the city lights blinking below._

 _What he saw was the solitary, vulnerable figure standing at the edge of the railing._

 _His whole world flickered before him, and he whispered, as the world started to fade around him, and at that moment, all he could see was her:_

 _"Kagome… don't you fucking dare…"_

* * *

"Apologize." The blue-eyed woman said, her lips curled down in utter displeasure. Gone was the accommodating smile on her lips, the warmth of her blue, blue eyes.

"Excuse me?" Minako raised a brow, "Are you talking to me?" the young woman dared to look around, scandalized.

Kagome did not answer, but her stare remained defiant, she will not be stood up against. "It's pretty clear who I am talking to," The Gun heiress said, as she slowly stalked towards her. She ended an arm's length away, and her blue glare descended onto Minako like a subjugating curse. "Or maybe I need to properly address you by name, miss…?"

"Taisho," Minako answered with a smirk. The woman stood up, she tried to stare down at the predator. But damn the blue-eyed woman's stilettos were sky-high, she could only glare up. "Minako Taisho. I'm your date's—"

"EX-wife." Sesshomaru stood up. He firmly seized Minako's arm and tugged at her. "What the hell are you doing," he whispered.

"Oh?" The Gun Magnate's brow raised, feigning amusement. But there was absolutely no mirth in her pretty face, her lips were still curled down. " Miss Taisho, to clear whatever wrong impressions, If for some reason you did not hear me the first time—"

Minako's shoulder shook, and a sound came out of her smirking lips. Restrained at first, until it bubbled up… she was laughing, a mocking, sarcastic laugh. "I heard you, I'm not deaf!" Minako continued the absurd display until she tilted her head to the golden-eyed man beside her, "Can you believe it, Sesshomaru? This girl is asking me to apologize, what wrong have I done?"

"You tripped the waiter while he was en route to the next table," Kagome said without missing a beat, "And I'm not asking you to apologize…" there was no smile, no filter to what she was internally feeling.

The pretty little Gun Magnate was genuinely displeased.

"I'm not asking you," her glare was piercing, "I'm _telling_ you to apologize."

This was not the docile little lamb that Sesshomaru described to her, almost four years ago. This was not the quiet martyr, who endured everything that was thrown her way in hiding.

This woman… was the exact opposite… of what her ex-husband led her to believe.

It slowly, finally dawned on Minako what was in front of her: an apex predator,

An _alpha female_.

Reality started sinking in, and Minako, suddenly grasping what she had walked blindly into, took a hesitant step back. "W- What if I don't want to—"

The blue-eyed woman took a defiant step forward. "Then I'll _make_ you."

Panic.

It started in Minako's spine, shooting to her nerves. Like a cornered animal she took steps back, but much to her terror the woman kept taking steps forward—

"I hope you're not a bully," Kagome continued, her angelic face haunting, her cold, ruthless tone sent Minako's hackles standing, "And I'm pretty sure I'm not one myself. But I hate playing games…"

Kagome reached out—

"Especially…

Silly ones…"

Just when the gun heiress was about to touch the woman's face, Minako felt a firm tug on her wrist, forcing her a few steps backward, away from the _alpha_ 's punishing hand. Then she remembered… _Sesshomaru!_

Minako attempted to turn to the golden-eyed man beside her, but she halted when squeezed her wrist, cueing her to stop. Minako stood very still, and she felt the warmth of Sesshomaru's hand rest on the back of her head.

He bowed his head low, and with his hand on Minako's head he gently pushed, forcing her into a bowing gesture herself.

"I apologize on behalf of my ex-wife," he said, "This is highly embarrassing for Minako, for me… especially you. We're sorry for any inconvenience this evening, Kagome."

There was a slight pause, as the Gun Heiress' blue glare hovered over the two for moments. Then she shifted, as she kept her pretty little chin up, staring down at the two hunched forms before her. "Good," she finally said, and then she tilted her head to a sidelong glance. "Your presence is not needed here," she suddenly said, and Sesshomaru cast his gaze up, to her: she was not talking to him,

She was addressing it to her bodyguards.

"I'm done with this night. All of you, report back to my overprotective cousin. This is _ridiculous_."

The bodyguards complied, sparing no minute they left. Kagome turned to leave, not even looking back at Minako, nor to Sesshomaru.

When he saw her walk away, something snapped in the white-haired doctor, as his limbs found movements of their own. "Kagome," Sesshomaru called out, almost desperate was the tone of his voice, as he reached out to seize her fading hand.

But something appeared into his line of sight: someone walking straight to Kagome. Someone with a pair of arms, wrapping itself around her tiny waist, someone with a strong grip, pulling the small woman into his sturdy, Armani-clad chest.

It took a moment for Sesshomaru to realize that _someone_ was not _him_ : that someone was Mitsui Jakotsu, looking down at the beautiful woman, who earlier was so intimidating, now looked so small and vulnerable in the arms of another man.

"Princess," Jakotsu said, tenderly cupping her chin, tilting her face towards his for direct eye contact, "What happened?"

* * *

"What happened?" Jakotsu said, pulling away from her, bracing his hands on her smooth but dirtied shoulders.

"I ruined your sister's dress," Kagome said, her blue eyes enviously doe-eyed and mellow. Sesshomaru remained quiet, trying to comprehend. But Jakotsu's gaze drifted to the couple, and the dark-haired man sighed.

"The dress is a part of my sister's winter collection, to be auctioned next week to the _Bienfaisant_ fundraiser event," Jakotsu calmly explained, "The proceeds would have gone to the beneficiaries of the Children's Cancer Society." With a look of concern in his usually nonchalant face, he pulled the disappointed woman closer. "Hey, I'll donate one of my swords from my vintage collection, how about that? That would surely replace the value of your ruined dress-"

"Mitsui-kun, your swords are worth far more than your sister's dress," she looked up to him, oh so eagerly it sent a painful, constricting feeling into the golden-eyed man's chest,

"Money is no issue," Jakotsu answered, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Especially when it comes to you. I'm sure you're aware of that, _princess_."

Kagome nodded her head, and Jakotsu tenderly took her hand and kissed it. "Then I should probably thank Taisho-san for this lucky break," she turned to Minako. "I'm not apologizing for my behavior earlier, I'm not taking back what I said. I still think it was petty and embarrassing," The alpha female gave a formal bow. "But I do thank you, because of your tasteless actions, the auction will reap more funds."

Minako stared, dumbfounded.

Jakotsu stepped away from Kagome and leaned towards Sesshomaru. "I don't know what happened, and if Kagome refuses to tell, then it is not my position to pry. But I'm sorry if things went awry tonight," In a most unprecedented move, Jakotsu extended a hand to the golden-eyed doctor, "Anyway, pleasure seeing you again, Taisho. Thank you for keeping my fiancée company tonight."

Lulled by the man's nonchalant demeanor, unable to sort the varying emotions, Sesshomaru absently reached out, and they shook hands.

Mitsui Jakotsu made sure he kept a cordial smile on his face. He made sure the handshake was long enough for people around to see, and the dark-haired man hid a smirk when he saw a couple of media personalities on the table across him. Satisfied, he pulled away from the formality, as he turned to his fiancée and started to undo his coat.

He put it over her small form, covering her barely-clothed, wet and most probably cold body. And he kept a secret eye on the quiet doctor:

Sesshomaru looked as if a certain pain came over him.

Indeed, the white-haired man internally cringed. He failed to recognize Kagome's needs. Jakotsu mentally gloated, oh how he _enjoyed_ the look on his unlikely rival's tortured face.

"Meet me at the entrance?" Mitsui said, stroking Kagome's cheek, "I'll get the valet ready."

Kagome nodded her head. She watched as the tall man jogged out of the door, disappearing into the empty lobby leading to the entrance. Not long after she slowly made her way, walking the long, carpeted hall herself,

Listening to the sounds of her footsteps, muffled from the carpet, lost in her thoughts.

* * *

 _The moment the door swung open, she immediately knew it was him. She had grown up with him, after all, and the pattern of footfalls she could recognize, because the littlest details, the smallest quirks of the people she loved was already imprinted in her memory,_

 _Burned into her heart._

 _"Kouga-kun," she said without turning back. There was no shifting, no movement, wherever he was he stood perfectly still. It would probably be for the best,_

 _The slightest movement might startle her, there was a hair's trigger between the concrete and the hundred feet drop below. Kagome held her breath, she thought she was about to spill her heart out as she cried._

 _She was about to ask forgiveness for how stupid she was, pining for a man who didn't choose her._

 _She was about to say how she was disgusted by herself, for not being the person that man wanted, and to have carried the name of the family that he hated the most._

 _She was about to curse herself… for not being able to be strong enough to leave, for coming back again and again._

 _Kagome was about to tell Kouga all of those things, but as her tears fell and she shut her eyes tight, all she could utter was: "Help me."_

 _She could not pull herself out of this vicious cycle, she could not let Sesshomaru go. No matter how hard she tried, so many times he let her down,_

 _She could never seem to learn her lesson._

 _It was the memory of his warm hand as he held hers, as they were looking at picture-books of the aurora borealis,_

 _His golden stare of surprise when she first spoke to him, and his smile when he finally heard her voice,_

 _It was his laughter at 2 am, when everyone else in the world was sleeping, and he woke up to her rearranging the kitchen pantry because 'the small cans are not in proportion to the large ones,'_

 _"I can't get out of this hell, Kouga-kun…_

 _Help me…"_

 _She expected her cousin to fall silent. She expected him to try to coax her gently, after all, she had a broken heart. Didn't she do the same, when she tried to comfort his?_

 _But a sudden yank to her collar almost cut the air out of her throat. A forceful pull backward, and she was smashed mercilessly to the railing. Her cousin's significant weight body-slammed her to the metal bars, and he shoved his arms on her shoulders, pinning her to the barrier._

 _"What the FUCK do you think you're doing?!" He screamed out, his voice pained and raw. The flow of his tears fell unabashed, and he was livid… racked with miserable torment, as he continued to scream into Kagome's ringing ears. "Who the FUCK do you think you are, doing such a thing?!"_

 _The woman could only cry. She watched her grown cousin break down before her, his strength, drained by his tears. "Fuck you, Kagome…" he whimpered, "Fuck you… how dare you do this… fuck you…"_

 _The crushing weight from his hands released. What was left was him and her, sobbing before each other like lost little children,_

 _Until she reached out and wrapped her arms around him,_

 _And he fell limp, relaxing to her hold._

 _"I'm sorry, Kouga-kun…_

 _I'm so sorry…"_

 _They stayed that way for a while, holding each other in silence when something shifted from the doorway._

 _"Ever since Kouga was a little boy, he would tell me how selfish you were. I never thought it to be true," They didn't have to look back, because they knew. "I never believed him. But now I see it."_

 _They held each other, trembling, and Kaede knelt before them, reaching out to wipe their tears._

 _"Kagome-chan, it pains my heart… to hate the very name that gave you life. Don't you remember the tears in your mother's eyes, the despair in her voice, when she begged you to live?"_

 _The blue-eyed heiress shrunk into the arms of her cousin, and she shut her eyes tight, unable to tolerate the vivid images that flashed in her mind._

 _"Despite everything that has happened, child, you still live a precious, sheltered life. Overflowing with material blessings, abundant with people who love you unconditionally…"_

 _Kagome felt Kouga squeeze her harder in his arms. She leaned on to him,_

 _"How selfish of you. How could you disregard your mother and father's memory? how could you turn a cold shoulder to the people who have stood by your side?_

 _You hold such a wonderful, covetable life…_

 _How selfish of you… to deprive that from the child that is growing in your womb?"_

 _The blue-eyed heiress whole body shook, crying her heart out. Relying on the strong arms that held her, holding on to the words of her guardian._

 _"Kagome, if you can't do it for yourself,_

 _Do it for that little child._

 _When he comes out to meet the world, you will be his stronghold. You will be the one he looks up to… in his eyes, you will be most perfect to him, even in your lowest of days._

 _You owe it to that little child, Kagome. Share this wonderful life you have to him,_

 _Show him a life full of love, and laughter,_

 _and all the things that make you smile…"_

 _"Kaede-sama," Kagome finally cried out, as she flung her arms around her._

 _Kaede wrapped her arms around them, and she held them tight._

 _"I'm sorry," Kagome sobbed, "I'm so sorry…"_

* * *

"I thought you were crying," Jakotsu said when Kagome stepped out of the restaurant, the humid air immediately greeting the rest of her exposed skin. Her goosebumps rose underneath her coat.

"It's funny… ever since I met you, I never saw you cry."

"I don't cry in front of anyone," She said. "It ruins my make-up."

Jakotsu looked back to watch her. She was unruffled, still perfectly poised… and charmingly _vain_. "Heh," The man chuckled, "You didn't have to worry. Considering it withstood hot Tomato and Basil soup, that's some durable stuff you've got there."

"Why are you here?" she met her fiancé's eyes, coldly grey and dull against the golden lights that seemed to flicker from the pedestals. The rain was torrential, as it had been for it was season, she could see him shiver from a cold gust of wind that blew their way.

But she had his coat on her, and unfortunately for him, it was her only source of warmth.

He will have to suffer for a while. It was his fault, anyway, daring her to wear such a skimpy dress.

Kagome stole a meek glance at the outline of the man before her. It seemed as of late, their dares were beginning to take more extreme turns. Perhaps it was from familiarity? They were acquainted with each other excessively much, they had the mentality that there was nothing they could do to offend each other. Or perhaps it was from boredom? Mitsui tended to be bored easily. She was quick to boredom, too, maybe more than him (he was very well aware of it,) except for her, she hated drama.

Drama, which he so much _loved_.

That was the only thing that set them apart.

"I missed you," he said as he snuck his hands into his pockets, hiding it from the evening chill. He brought his gaze back to the street. "Is it a crime to miss my darling fiancée?"

A few people sought shelter from the bothersome rain, cars splashed by, honking at a few determined bikers who were soaked. Kagome walked up beside him, she joined him as he watched the world from behind the sanctuary of the restaurant's _marquee._ "I knew something was on your mind."

"My father agreed to sign off my inheritance at the event of our Yuinou," admitted the young man, his voice cautiously low. He kept his eyes trained at the passing cars on the street. Brief reflections of gold from headlights flashed and died down, and then everything was dark again.

"I am aware," she said with an equally cautious tone, making sure their conversation would not be overheard. She looked up to him. "Have I done something to dampen your confidence?"

Jakotsu shook his head. "You're doing perfectly fine, _princess_. And I absolutely love you for putting up with me and this silly contract of ours. But we can never be too careful, especially with all the suspicion between our relationship."

"Your brother still thinks our engagement is fake?" she was vexed.

The dark-haired man paused. He blinked, as he finally tore his gaze from the torrent, towards the small woman beside him. Then his somber mood suddenly lightened, and he laughed, throwing his head back and laughed such as a perfect gentleman like Mitsui Jakotsu would have laughed. "You scare me, princess. With you, I would often do a double-take…"

"Don't worry, _Mon Cherie_ ," she gave him a playful side glance, "I haven't developed any romantic feelings for you."

Jakotsu tilted his head, and keeping an eye on his lovely fiancée, he smiled. "Ah, such scathing words…" He clutched a fist over his chest, "How it burns my poor, fragile heart."

The rain seemed as if it had no plans of stopping. From the stoplight on the corner, they could see their car, the outline of the valet in the driver's seat, wipers of full blast, waiting for the light to change into green. The drumming of the downpour was heavy from above them.

"I just wanted to make sure everything is covered," Jakotsu said, "Just in case your meeting with Taisho is brought up. We'll never know, especially with my brother. He's very cunning, he'll do anything to negate this _front_ of ours, just to take the family inheritance from me.

So I apologize for showing up unannounced. I had to make face, I had to leave evidence that I was aware of this dinner, that I and the Taisho guy are perfectly good acquaintances, nothing funny is going on between the both of you, yada yada yada…"

She fell silent for a while. "I'm sorry."

"Princess, don't be-"

"I should be more vigilant, considering that _you_ are."

Jakotsu shrugged his shoulders, "It was just a thought. Don't worry about it too much. Whatever happened inside will be subject to talk, but there is no evidence. Taking pictures is banned inside. Besides, I saw someone from the media witness my interaction with Taisho. That will take care of any suspicion."

"No," Kagome shook her head, "I don't want anyone, stranger or not, to doubt what is 'between' us. Especially with the Yuinou coming next month, I don't want your father to be in a quandary." She seemed to pause when she saw a couple of people lingering from a bus station beside their marquee.

One of the bystanders stealthily pulled a phone out, and Kagome, realizing the familiar move, turned to her companion.

"Pictures are not banned outside this restaurant, are they?"

He secretly glanced at where she had her attention, and he saw the two shutterbugs. "Hey," he turned to her, ignoring the strangers. He braced his hands on her small, darling little form, "I told you, don't worry about it. This is just me being paranoid." He leaned over and kissed her hair tenderly.

Their car finally pulled up, the valet walked out of the rain and into the marquee. He handed the keys to Jakotsu. "Wait here," The valet said, "Let me get an umbrella." He dashed into the entrance doors.

"Tsk," Jakotsu said, turning to his fiancée, "What do these people think, we'd die if we get a little drop of water on our h—"

He was cut short when he felt a tug on his lapel, and he was pulled down, onto soft lips that tasted like peaches.

Surprised, Jakotsu attempted to pull away. But the familiar flash of the camera flickered at the corner of his eye, and it was then that he figured out what she was trying to do.

Mitsui Jakotsu wrapped his arms around his fiancée's waist and pulled her closer, daring her into a deeper kiss.

As a person who identified himself as one who is attracted to the same sex, as a person whose fake fiancée would playfully describe him as " _flamingly gay_ ," he would admit, her lips were soft, her kiss was almost heavenly. He had learned to enjoy these play kisses as nothing more than an overinflated _parody_ ,

and he knew she felt the same,

how they did it for fun,

for the sake of teasing the notorious cameras,

for the sake of the _apotheosis_ -level relationship they so deceitfully painted together.

"Ah," he exclaimed as he pulled away for air. He cupped her beautiful face in the palm of his hand, _"T'es si parfaite pour moi_ ," he said in the most dramatic flair, "My partner-in-crime, how I absolutely _love_ you."

* * *

It was that abnormally bright day, four years ago, all over again. But instead of a mass of people that spirited her out of his vision, this time it was a blur of pathetic tears. Tears that he tried to hide because he did not want to shame _her_.

That dearest, most cherished woman had asked;

He knew there would be a downturn of her unsurpassed lips,

An elegant shrug of vexation if he dared to cause a scene.

 _*Please let's be civil,*_ she said,

 _*She is an affianced woman now.*_

Harada stated ruthlessly,

 _*Any unwanted advances towards her will not look good in the public's eyes.*_

He waited until the people around him settled down. The ex-wife was pulling on his sleeve, yet he remained indifferent. Sesshomaru tried his best to stay back and refrain from running after _her,_ the woman who so casually walked away as if nothing happened, and he was able to… but only for a little while.

His body held a mind of its own.

He found himself striding into the long, empty hallway, past the receiving lobby. He could hear the pounding of the rain from outside the shelter of the restaurant.

When he opened the heavy glass door, he was already overwhelmed. Partly from his foreboding sensations from alcohol withdrawal, partly from the rush of fresh, damp air that overloaded his stifled chest.

He did indeed gulp in the air, sucked it in and was unable to release freely, because his world froze around him, and his vision faded into black: for when he opened the door, it was the exact moment the blue-eyed woman reached out to her lover and pulled him in for a torrid, feverish kiss.

The dark-haired man, infected by her delirious longing, wrapped his arms around her small waist and folded her into his body, cramming his lips onto her willing mouth, intensifying the already scandalous contact.

 _"T'es si parfaite pour moi_ ," the man murmured as he pulled away.

Sesshomaru knew what it meant _. 'You're so perfect for me,'_ Kagome had whispered to him those words, four years ago, when they were still together.

"My partner-in-crime," the man continued with a cocky grin, "How I absolutely love you."

Along with his vision that faded was his presence. He quietly stepped back into the artificial atmosphere of the restaurant, rushing into the men's room and locked himself in a cubicle.

In his solitude he allowed his tears to fall.

* * *

 _ **~ Higurashi-DuPont Residence,**_

 _ **Midnight ~**_

It was not a sleepless night for the blue-eyed President. She, in fact, fell asleep at exactly 10 pm. Unfortunately, she woke up at midnight from a sudden thought.

It was a thought that would pop up into her head, once in a while, one of the thoughts that were not intrusive, just a force of habit.

And that certain thought came quietly, whispering into her heart.

Through the years she had learned to silence those thoughts. Not suppress, but silence, she had already trained her heart to acknowledge them as a part of her past, a part of _her_.

She turned to her nightstand, to where a box, wrapped in simple rice paper, was sitting quietly.

 _"Haku,"_ she whispered, _"Am I doing good right now?"_

Kagome sighed, and she looked away. She stared emptily at the ceiling for the longest time, until her lashes fluttered down,

And she settled into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 _ **~ Onigumo Holdings, Suite 102**_

 _ **7.30 pm~**_

"He's not here," Shippo said. The meeting was over, it was not until after 7 pm when she stopped by the headquarters of the new project. She had been busy the whole day, much like the other days. Today she had to spend most of her time in their main company's building, the DuPont Firearms and Ammo, and she thought she couldn't escape, but here she was. "Hasn't been here since morning." Her Vice-President continued, a frown starting to etch on his youthful face. "Why do you need to see him?"

"Personal matters." Kagome shrugged. She was holding a moderately-sized paper bag, and from the looks of it, it didn't look light.

"Have you checked on your subordinate at all?" Jakotsu stepped in, slinging his arm casually on Kagome's small shoulders, leaning on her small frame. "He might have passed away from alcohol poisoning, you know, lying on the floor cold and rigid—"

"Mitsui-kun!" The woman said, horrified.

"I'll check on him when I come home." Shippo shut his briefcase with finality. "You have a flight set at 9 pm, Kagome-chan. You still up for dinner at my place?"

"Of course," Kagome said, and she looked at the man attached to her. "You're still bringing the desserts, _Mon Cherie_?"

"Of course, _Princess."_ He gazed lovingly at his darling fiancée.

Shippo only rolled his eyes in exasperation.

* * *

 _ **~Taisho Sesshomaru's Residence,**_

 _ **8:15 pm~**_

He probably looked like a trainwreck.

Not that he already was, but maybe more so. Today he was not able to get out of bed. The throbbing headache from this morning had not subsided,

Empty bottles strung neglected on the floor.

His puke was on his bathroom toilet, unflushed.

And he laid still on his mattress, unable to erase the image of Kagome, locking lips with her perfect man.

 _"How I absolutely love you."_

Tears yet again trickled down his cheeks, unable to hold his battered emotions. "I loved you first," he said, laying to his side, cringing from the burn in his stomach, in his chest. "I still do."

Four years ago he married two different women, thinking she could be easily replaced.

It didn't work.

Three years ago he got demoted from his position in the Medical Group.

He couldn't cope with his responsibilities anymore.

Two years ago he shut himself out of any social interactions.

He couldn't bear to be around with people.

One year ago, he found himself waking up in a hospital bed,

on suicide watch, diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. He tried to kill himself, by overdosing on his sleeping pills while drunk on whiskey.

 _I know what you've been through was not easy,_

 _And you might not believe me if I say it,_

 _But those four years… were also hell for me…_

 _Every minute was torture,_

 _Every second… regret…_

He didn't bother to wipe his tears.

 _I guess those four years still wasn't enough._

His phone suddenly blared. The first phone call for the whole day. Sesshomaru lifted his raw, weary eyes to the calendar on the wall.

October 10.

He dragged his exhausted body from bed, lumbered towards the kitchen. His stomach gurgled from hunger, he only had alcohol for the whole day. He pressed the button of the receiver.

 _ **First Unheard Message: Taisho Touga.**_

 _ ***Son, are you home?**_

 _ **I just wanted to touch base with my favor. I really need the money-***_

Sesshomaru hit delete.

The lights were off, the ambient view of his floor-to-ceiling windows provided a dull overcast on his suite. In the deafening silence, he reached out for the refrigerator, the dim light reflecting onto his pale, exhausted face.

The cooler was full, Jaken was very good at anticipating his needs. Probably too good to the point of excess. He reached over and pulled out a single cupcake, and he placed it on the counter before him.

There were no other calls.

No notifications from his smartphone, no new emails.

Not even a letter snuck into the crack of his door.

He rested his elbows on the counter and stared at the cupcake, and then into the darkness of his suite. And Sesshomaru stayed that way for quite a while. Then he shifted, and he tilted his body sideways. Just as he was about to reach out to the whiskey drawer underneath him,

His doorbell rang.

Sesshomaru blinked, unsure if what he heard was just from his intoxication. Maybe it was his neighbor's doorbell?

The pleasant melody rang again, in the silence of his suite. Sesshomaru stiffened, he looked at the clock. 8.30 pm.

He set foot on the wooden floor, through the plush carpet of his living room, not bothering to check himself in the mirror. It was most probably Jaken, dropping off some unnecessary stuff, stuff he didn't even request…

The doorbell sounded off again.

He looked into the Door Viewer. "What have you brought this time, old ma—" Sesshomaru froze.

It wasn't the outline of his stout, leather-faced assistant, tapping his toes nervously, fidgeting with his clothes.

Like a bolt of lightning, Sesshomaru hurriedly undid the locks and swung the door open. The moment he did, blue eyes immediately locked with his. And all he could utter was: "Kagome?"

"Taisho-san," she said. She held up a substantial paper bag on her hands. "Happy Birthday."

* * *

She stood before him, quite unsure of what to do. The moment he opened the door and their eyes met, he started crying.

She would have rubbed her shoulders in discomfort, a childish habit of hers that she never grew out of. But the paper bag held a significant weight on her hands. And he was ignoring it, he stood there locked in his grief.

"Please don't make things more awkward," she looked away, discomfited.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he snapped out of himself, as he hastily relieved the gift from her hands.

"Harada was supposed to check on you, but he got too drunk from the wine…" She looked up, he was staring at her as if she was someone who was resurrected from the dead.

And it didn't help that he was still crying…

"He lives two floors below you," Kagome explained.

"I wasn't aware of that," he said, finally finding the strength to wipe his tears away.

"He does. Anyway Mitsui and I just had dinner with him and Souten-chan…" she paused, as he was obviously in some form of mysterious pain, "And Shippo and Mitsui-kun ended up drunk…" she hesitated, when he held on to the framework of the door, "I needed to give that to you anyway… so here I am.

Are you alright?"

Reluctant, she tugged the silk ribbon that was holding her hair, and it fell unbound into a cascade of black onto her waist. She offered it to the miserable man.

He wiped his tears with the soft material,

But it only made his predicament worse.

" _Alors…_ " she stepped back, disconcerted. "I'm sorry if I caught you at a bad time… feel better soon."

He shook his head, and he shuddered for a while. It took him a great amount of restraint to hold himself back. He would have reached out to her as she turned away. He would have called out her name,

But he knew she hated to be touched by him,

He knew his feelings were the least of her precious concerns, if it was, at all.

But instinct got the better of him. And the sad reality that he had to accept was, he could never stay away. "Kagome," Sesshomaru called, out of breath.

The blue-eyed woman turned around.

He stood there, quite a distance between them, on the other side of the hall. Silent tears, falling without respite, begging for her to listen.

And maybe she will, now that they were alone, without the prying eyes of strangers, now that there was only _them._

She looked at him, and for a moment he allowed himself to pretend that she was still that doe-eyed girl back in his apartment, who crawled up to him during cold nights and rested her head on his chest, listening to him breathe,

The girl who listened to all his troubles and took her own demons in hiding, never letting him see.

But the girl that he saw five years ago… was not the girl he saw last night

And she had not been… had never been…

Only because he did not allow her to be, once upon a time.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, shaking his head, trying to sort the words out of his scrambled mind.

"What do you mean?" she answered.

"Why are you even talking to me," he pleaded, "After all that I've done to you, all the insulting things I've said.

You should hate me, exact revenge… yet here you are,

Trying to be civil,

Even helping me get back to my feet,"

Sesshomaru shook his head, not bothering to control his tears. If there was one person who was allowed to see him like this, it was her,

Only been her.

"I don't understand…" he cried, "I don't understand," The distance between them seemed like an unfathomable rift, and he hated it, how he hated it. She looked at him from the other side of the hallway, almost too quiet.

"Kagome," he begged,

But she remained still.

His brain was fuzzy, he was starting to feel the room spin around him. Numb, he wanted to feel numb, it was only the comfort of alcohol now, it had been, for the past four years,

His deadly replacement for the crushing isolation.

He stood there like the pathetic drunk that he was, crying in silence, knowing nobody would _listen_. He was so used to it, being alone, with only the bottle his constant companion that helped him get through.

"I already told you," she said, and he lifted his gaze to her comforting form. "I don't blame you for everything, I was at fault too." Her eyes were iridescent under the dim of the hallway lights.

"I allowed myself to be treated that way. And so I take responsibility for my choices.

Taisho-san, you've already been forgiven. But there are some things we can't just easily forget…

some things _I_ can't easily forget…"

He felt the tears start to roll down on his cheeks, Gods, he could not stop crying,

"And because of that,

Things will never be the same again…"

"What should I do now," said the man, drained of strength "I don't know. I don't know…" He was not expecting for an answer, no he was not hoping for her even care. The weight of the paper bag on his hands was getting heavier. He did not have enough stamina left.

"We only live one life," she said, "I feel, in this life, I have lived a hundred more. And I am exhausted…"

He looked up to her, and for the first time in such a very long time, the warmth of her blue eyes came back, sincere and vulnerable.

"I'm so tired, but I want to move on… I want to continue to live… free of hate… away from such burdens… because I promised him."

"Mitsui?" he sought,

"No," she whispered, "Haku."

Sesshomaru stiffened.

"I promised him I'd show him a life full of love… one that he was supposed to have,

One that he deserved. I know he's watching over me, along with all the others that have loved me and left me behind.

Taisho-san… if you can't do it for yourself,

Do it for him."

We at least owe it to him."

She didn't wait for him to answer, she didn't even know if he was still there. Her cellphone rang and she picked up, "Louise," Miroku's voice drifted from the receiver, "We're at the complex' entrance. Where are you? Should I call the pilot to hold?"

"No need," she said, "I'll be on my way." Without turning back, she stepped into the elevator and disappeared out of sight.

The golden-eyed man slumped on the floor, exhausted. Unable to process, his mind in a state of raincloud and thunder, he stared at the heavy paper bag on his lap.

Absently he reached in, and he pulled out what looked like a box wrapped in rice paper. Sesshomaru tore the wrapping open, and he unfolded the flaps.

He thought his tears were dried up, only because of the sheer amount of crying he did the whole day. But what he saw inside the box seemed like the ultimate reveal, the final blow to his messed-up life.

It was his broken Georg Jensen vase, now intact,

Restored with the traditional art of _Kintsugi._

 _"Kintsugi," he said as he pointed the picture to the quiet girl seated beside him. He had come across it this morning when his mother brought her books from Japan._

 _The moment he saw it, he knew he had to show it to her._

 _She reached out and traced her little hands across the golden lines on the picture, and then she lifted her blue gaze to him, as if asking him to say more._

 _"Also called Kintsukuroi," he explained, "It's the art of repairing broken pottery by mending it with lacquer mixed with silver or gold."_

 _She opened her silent lips and sighed in awe, and he smiled, satisfied with her reaction._

 _He took her small hand with the warmth of his own, and they traced the lines together, quietly in the solace of the hospital room. "The cracks are the imperfections of life," He read to her out loud, "The never-ending changing conditions that break people into pieces._

 _But the breaking is an event to be embraced as a part of one's purpose. Rather than focusing on the broken pieces, the mends and seams, rather than hidden, are instead celebrated…_

 _And the pottery, once beautiful and valuable,_

 _Becomes even more so."_

* * *

 _ **~San Francisco, California**_

 _ **One Day Later~**_

"When are you coming back?" Souten's voice sang into the speakerphone, "I have a new recipe to try out, Shippo's being a scaredy-cat—"

"I'm not." The vice-president seemed to huff through the receiver, "I'm just not fond of sweet things,"

"It will take me a couple of days to wrap up," Kagome answered, looking at stacks of reports on her desk. She sighed, and swiveled her chair back, towards the windows of her suite. The Golden Gate bridge was covered with fog today. She sighed again, for surely there would be hundreds of broken-hearted tourists down there. "I'll fly back once this is finished."

"Promise?" Souten crooned.

"Hey, enough chitchat." Shippo's serious voice interrupted. "I have to give her a few crucial reports."

"Fine, fine. All yours, Oh High and Mighty One."

There was a short scuffle, followed by the sound of a kiss. Kagome held the sleeve of her kimono to her lips and giggled. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Shippo answered curtly. "Kagome, there some things I want to bring up to your attention."

 _"Allez,"_ she answered, distracted by a paraglider that disappeared into the fog.

"The Audits have yielded a few discrepancies,"

"Miroku took care of that,"

"Our contract with one of our partners in the Holdings is expiring,"

"I will look into it, once I come home."

"Kagome," Shippo paused, "Taisho submitted an absence of leave… for a week, though, not to worry." He took a deep breath and released. "He checked in for inpatient rehab… to take care of his withdrawal symptoms.

After that, he will take the program outpatient as he resumes his responsibilities.

It will be a battle for his sobriety, from that point on."

She remained silent for a while, after all, how could one possibly react? She turned to her cup of tea and calmly took a sip.

A pop-up message appeared on her computer screen,

 _ **Sender: Mitsui Jakotsu**_

 _ **Attachment: Yuinou arrangements, venue and date.**_

Kagome leaned back towards the phone, bringing herself back from the momentary distraction.

"Ah, what can I say? Shippo, I wish him all the best."

Harada politely said his goodbyes, Kagome ended the call. She clicked the email message open and immersed herself back into work.


End file.
